CIF Repainted #2

Everything was going for Aviationshotz when he caught Air Chathams newly painted Convair 580 ZK-CIF at Auckland on 19 May 2016... a beautiful full sun day... 

For more of Aviationshotz photos see : http://aviationshotzphotography.blogspot.co.nz/

CID to be in Air Chathams colours

Stolen from the Air Chathams' Facebook Page their latest Metroliner ZK-CID is being painted in Air Chathams colours

Repainted

After being in a bland all white scheme for years Air Chatham's Convair 580 has finally been repainted in full Air Chathams colours...

Thanks to AgAirNZ who could ZK-CIF at Auckland on 18 May 2016 before it departed on a charter to Gisborne...
Looking smart Air Chats!

Air Chathams' Newest Machine and other News

Making its debut flight to the Chatham Islands yesterday was their Rockwell 690A Turbo Commander ZK-PVB (c/n 11321). The Commander flew down from Hastings' Bridge Pa airport. As to what it will be used for the company's Facebook page says, "Nothing confirmed, but keen to have an island based air ambulance."

ZK-PVB at the Chatham Islands' airport on 14 May 2016. Photo stolen from the Air Chathams Facebook page. 

And speaking of Air Chathams, if you're one of those mad plane buffs who like flying on different airlines and are wanting to try out their Metroliner service to and from Whakatane check out this deal...

And you might want to check out their new website too... http://www.airchathams.co.nz/

A beautiful day at Gisborne

Before my flight to Auckland I had 20 minutes at Gisborne... unfortunately not a lot to see...

Air Napier's Piper PA32 Cherokee 6 ZK-ELK at Gisborne on 9 May 2016

Bombardier Q300 ZK-NET arriving at Gisborne on 9 May 2016 - my ride to Auckland

The first time I've photographed for ages... any ideas as to what it is?

Farmers Air's Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-SWA taken as we roared down the runway

ZK-EVP - the East Coast Piper Aztec

Following on yesterday's post on my Sunair flight to Gisborne, as we were flying across on EVP it struck me that it had served the East Coast for a long time.

Piper PA23-250 Aztec F ZK-EVP (c/n 27-8054053) was imported by Cookson Air in 1980 to operate their services Napier-Wairoa-Gisborne services. These routes were for a time extended to include Palmerston North and the company also operated a Wairoa-Auckland service. The Aztec operated with Cookson Air until the company closed in 1995.

ZK-EVP at Napier on 20 January 1992 in Cookson Air colours

For more on Cookson Air see
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/12/wairoas-cookson-airspread-part-2.html

In October 1999 Air Freight NZ Ltd took over Vincent Aviation’s courier operation from Palmerston North to Napier, Wairoa and Gisborne using Piper Pa23-250 Aztecs ZK-DGS, ZK-EVP and ZK-FMU. Air Freight it service ended in 2002 and EVP was sold to Sunair.

ZK-EVP at Gisborne on 9 February 2001 while operating for Air Freight (NZ) Ltd. 

For more on Air Freight's East Coast service see
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/02/air-freight-nz-ltd-21-this-year.html

ZK-EVP has been used on the Sunair network since 2002. It has featured two colour schemes as seen below...

ZK-EVP at Napier on 15 April 2009 carrying Sunair titles

ZK-EVP at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 in full Sunair colours

Sunair Flight 41 to Gisborne

 

Sunair announce the departure of flight 41 to Gisborne - Sunair's Piper Aztec ZK-EVP at Hamilton on 6 May 2016

Good-bye Hamilton

And tonight we are under the command of Jacob Stead

The front office of EVP

Sunair 13P clear for take off Runway 18
Sunair's flight numbers are made up of a pilot number and the last letter of the registration

Lake Maratoto

Mounts Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu

On track to Gisborne

Lake Arapuni

Mt Egmont/Taranaki in the distance

Coming up on Rotorua

And looking back towards Rotorua

Lit up like a Christmas tree... unfortunately I could get my camera to cooperate with night shots of Gisborne

For a profile of Sunair see :

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/02/sunair-still-shining-25-years-on.html

For bookings :

http://www.sunair.co.nz/

Waiting for my flight...

I had a 40 minute wait at Hamilton for my flight to Gisborne yesterday, 6 May 2016

CTC Aviaition's Diamond DA 42 ZK-CTI was stopping and starting and going around and around in circles at the terminal 

In service... Eagle Air Beech 1900 ZK-EAH departed for Palmerston North

Not in service... Beech 1900 ZK-EAR was doing some training

Mount Cook Airlines ATR72-500 ZK-MCA arrives from Christchurch operating NZ5308

and immediately Mount Cook Airlines ATR72-600 ZK-MVG taxies out for Wellington operating NZ5089

And here is my plane, Sunair's Piper Aztec ZK-EVP arriving from Gisborne and Tauranga

Unbelievable!!!

Why do they print this Stuff???

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/79624860/air-new-zealand-passenger-scare-when-flight-from-invercargill-diverted-for-refueling

And why is there is a picture of a 737??? They are gone from the fleet and they haven't flown to Invercargill for years

Update of posts

For those who download a copy of the airline profiles I have updated the following...

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/air-nelsons-hokitika-service.html

Eagle Air

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/to-hokitika-by-eagle-air.html

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/10/kiwi-regional-takes-flight.html

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/originair-new-cook-strait-carrier.html

Kiwi Regional Reduces Schedule

Kiwi Regional Airlines is ditching plans to fly into Christchurch from later this month, in a bid to hunker down during winter months and expand in summer. Chief executive Ewan Wilson says the company had difficulty getting slot times they preferred and terminal and ramp space, meaning they would have to change their schedule. The airline planned to do flights between Nelson and Christchurch and Dunedin and Nelson twice a week, and Tauranga, Nelson and Christchurch, but now will be sticking to a "skeleton schedule network for the four months over winter", beginning from June 1. The Wednesday service will stop operating, and from June 13 the Monday service will stop. "We're a leisure airline. We don't compete for the corporate routes which are year round," Mr Wilson told Newshub. "We rely on family visiting family and going direct region to region, and that is clearly seasonal." He says the company are just reacting to what the market wants --  a reduction in winter and ramped-up service over summer. Mr Wilson says the decision is not a sign of any trouble for the carrier, just a seasonal adjustment to the schedule. "Kiwi is operating and will continue to operate, and will adjust the schedule due to seasonal peaks and troughs." The decision comes as Air New Zealand announces increasing direct flights between Tauranga and Christchurch. Kiwi Regional Airlines runs flights to Hamilton, Nelson, Tauranga and Dunedin. It has been operating for six months with one plane, but Mr Wilson says the airline will grow when it's appropriate. A decision on crowd funding has not yet been made. "In our schedule post October our intention is to operate 7 days a week," he says. "We have had a very good first summer and know we'll have an even better second summer." 

Source: http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/kiwi-regional-airlines-ditches-chch-flight-plans-2016050311#axzz47Y5oV7iL

Barrier Air starts Whangarei flights

Barrier Air commenced weekday Auckland-Whangarei flights this morning with Piper Chieftain ZK-VIP operating the first service. The new schedule operates as follows;

Flight 801 will leave Auckland at 7.00am to arrive at Whangarei at 7.30am

Flight 809 will leave Whangarei at 5.30pm to arrive at Auckland at 6.00pm

Between these flights the aircraft will operate the doctors flight between Whangarei and Kaitaia. Passengers can book flights between Auckland and Kaitaia subject to seats being available.

Bookings : http://www.barrierair.kiwi/

I have updated my profile on Barrier Air:
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/barrier-air-new-name-to-barrier-and.html

Eagle Air withdraws from the South Island

Eagle Air operated its final South Island services today.

Beech 1900D ZK-EAC operated the final services between Christchurch and Hokitika before positioning back to Hamilton from Hokitika as Eagle 924.

From tomorrow Air Nelson will operate two Q300 flights between Hokitika and Christchurch each day with flights departing Christchurch at 8.40am and 4,00pm Monday to Friday, 9.05am and 1.30pm on Saturdays and 1.00pm and 4.00pm on Sundays. The return services leave Hokitika at 9.45am and 5.05pm Monday to Friday, 10.10am and 2.45pm on Saturdays and 2.15pm and 5.05pm on Sundays. From 31 October the Hokitika will get earlier departures in the morning with weekday flights to Hokitika departing Christchurch at 8.10am and 5.55pm and return flights leaving at 9.20am and 7.05pm which will be a big improvement on tomorrow's schedule. 

Beech 1900D ZK-EAH operated the final services between Blenheim and Christchurch before positioning back to Hamilton from Blenheim as Eagle 926.

From tomorrow Air Nelson will operate two Q300 flights between Blenheim and Christchurch each weekday one flight on Saturdays and Sundays with flights departing Christchurch at 6.10am Monday to Saturday and 6,05pm Sunday to Friday, Return flights depart Blenheim at 7.25am Monday to Saturday and 7.15pm Sunday to Friday.