Heading North - North Shore

It was a quiet day at North Shore yesterday... Barrier Air's Piper Chieftain ZK-FOP was sitting on the ramp... is it for sale or it still being used for non-passenger work???

Not quite focussed... Helicopter Me's Robinson R44 ZK-IAN at North Shore on 7 January 2017

PHL 33 for Phil

Philips 33, Mitsubishi Mu2B-60 ZK-PSR at Hamilton on 17 November 2016. The Mu2 flies as one of two Westpac air ambulances out of Hamilton

Heading North - Auckland

My first shot of ATR 72-500 ZK-MCU in the new colours... At Auckland on 7 January 2017

A couple of Bombardier Q300s - ZK-NET above and ZK-NFI below. ... At Auckland on 7 January 2017

Arriving in from Japan, Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZH... At Auckland on 7 January 2017

And photo of the day, Parcelair Boeing 737-400 ZK-PAT... At Auckland on 7 January 2017

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #5

Air Chathams had gone jet-prop and were flying Beech 99 from the Chatham Islands to Wellington and to Napier. Photo taken at Napier on 21 January 1992

For more on the history of Air Chathams see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/air-chathams-30-years-on.html

Heading north - Ardmore...

Heading up to the Bay of Islands for work today I did a little plane spotting... At Ardmore I was hoping to see FlyStark's new Airvan but it was nowhere to be seen. However I was pleased to see FlightHauraki in action... no sign of their Navajo ZK-JGA...

Out on mission today were Cessna 172 ZK-MDV...

...and Cessna 207 ZK-MDZ

A history of FlightHauraki can be found here

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/flight-hauraki-new-zealands-newest.html

Not FlightHauraki but Cessna 206 was about. All photos taken on 7 January 2017

A great summer read...

A work colleague leant me a copy of Guy Clapshaw's Tasman Echo Alpha to read over the summer break... What a GREAT READ as it traces Guy's arrival in New Zealand flying as a co-pilot for TEAL on the Electras, having a stint in Samoa flying for Polynesian Airlines (I always wondered why Air NZ flew into Pago-Pago) and then as a DC-8 pilot... and it also reveals how close Air New Zealand came to buying Tristars... A really entertaining and engaging read!

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #4

Remember when Boeing 737s were doing regional services... Boeing 737-200 ZK-NAV at Napier on 20 January 1992. 737s also did regional services to Invercargill, Rotorua, Palmerston North and Hamilton 

A couple more photos for 2017

Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLX was operating their Blenheim-Christchurch service on 4 January 2017

And sitting outside Pacific Aerospace's hangar when I got home to Hamilton on 5 January 2017 was Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-KDL 

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #3

At Napier on 20 January 1992 was Cook Air's Piper Aztec. It is now flown by Sunair.
For more on Cookson Air see - http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/12/wairoas-cookson-airspread-part-1.html

Runway Expansion Still Sought

I heard this on National Radio tonight on the way home from airport tonight

Air Chathams, which began Whanganui to Auckland flights in August, is continuing to push for a Chatham Islands runway expansion, despite its rising costs. Air Chathams general manager Duane Emeny. The airline, set up in 1984 for charter and scheduled services, introduced a service between Whanganui and Auckland in August after the route was abandoned by Air New Zealand. General manager Duane Emeny said last year that a Boeing 737 service to the Chatham Islands was also on the cards, though that depended on whether a planned runway expansion went ahead. The Chatham Islands Enterprise Trust was helping drive the project, which a government study initially billed at $35 million. Mr Emeny said further investigation showed costs for the project, which would also allow increased travel within the Chathams, were likely to be higher. He said the passenger jet option was the preferred economy of scale, but there would still be more flights if the runway expansion did not go ahead. "There are more modern turbo prop aircraft which are more fuel efficient so operating costs lower but the capital costs are high - the equivalent of buying a Boeing 737. "Our preference is a larger aircraft so we can grow the market," Mr Emeny said. He said in the meantime the plan was to keep building on Whanganui and Whakatane services and introduce products such as a frequent flyer programme. Mr Emeny said loadings on the Whanganui service had been about the target rate of 70 percent.

Source : http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/321795/chathams-runway-expansion-costs-rise

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #2

Keeping on the Bandeirante theme, Eagle Air's Bandeirante ZK-JCM at Napier on 20 January 1992. The Bandeirantes were operating between Napier and Gisborne

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #1

As there is not much new happening on the regional airline scene I looked back to see what I was photographing 25 years ago and found that I did a road trip to the North Island...

So the first one... what Tranzair stories have you got...

Tranzair's Embraer Banderiante ZK-TRM at Wellington on 14 January 1992

First photos for 2017

First photo for 2017 and my ride to Christchurch, Mount Cook Airlines' ATR 72-600 ZK-MCI at Christchurch on 1 January 2017

And the real bonus... at last, Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLZ had just arrived ahead of us from Wanaka. Photo taken at Christchurch on 1 January 2017 

Crystal Ball Gazing for a New Year

Happy New Year

May 2017 be a good year for you 

and those you love

It's been a while since I wrote an opinion piece... the start of the New Year offers an opportunity to speculate on the year ahead on our regional air services.

Starting with the big guys...

Air New Zealand
Last year we saw the end of Eagle's services and the Beech 1900s... this led to Whanganui being dropped from the national carrier's network as well as flights between Blenheim and Christchurch. Sadly, I don't think we have seen the end of the cuts... I suspect Timaru, Hokitika and Whangarei will all be under the microscope as well as Hamilton-Palmerston North-Wellington.

Jetstar
It sounds as if Jetstar are getting another Q300... If there is a new route my pick would be Auckland-Tauranga. Can't see Jetstar doing a lot else at present.

And now moving down the country...

Air Chathams
Air Chats added a Convair, Saab and Metro to their fleet in 2016. Whanganui seems to be doing okay and they really get the locals in behind them. If Air NZ pull out of any route look out for Air Chats on the lolly scramble... certainly Air Chats is the airline I would want if I was a mayor faced with no air service. Maybe another Metro as Airwork flicks their Metros.

Barrier Air 
Barrier Air tried a few new services last year but they never really took off. Kaitaia seems to be a lot more stable now with the single return flight and the Caravan being used during the day to Great Barrier Island. One wonders if another Caravan might eventually be in the wings... SDB is certainly getting a lot of use

Fly My Sky
Steady as she goes.

FlyStark
A new comer to the Coromandel now with two Airvans... An innovative operator but no real formal air service. One wonders whether something might happen with them

Sunair
Steady as she goes. I was disappointed they didn't persevere with the Navajo as I feel it has more appeal than the Aztec. The Ardmore connection has them busy at weekends and the service to Gisborne seems to operate steadily. I thought they might have reintroduced Napier after Air NZ pulled Hamilton-Auckland. People flying from Napier to Hamilton have to go via Wellington now.

Air Napier
Steady as she goes on the Napier-Wairoa-Gisborne courier run. I'd like to see them advertise their flights better

Air2there
Steady as she goes. Sounds Air's move into Paraparaumu didn't seem to impact on their routes to Blenheim and Nelson

Sounds Air
A busy year with another Pilatus added to the fleet just before Christmas... what for one wonders??? I suspect the Kaikoura earthquake changed every thing. Certainly I think Christchurch-Blenheim will generate more traffic and this might absorb the new Pilatus. I suspect the Kaikoura-Blenheim service will remain until SH 1 reopens to the north while I think the Christchurch-Kaikoura will end with maybe a Wellington-Kaikoura replacement.

Originair
Still haven't got their Jetstreams up and running. I'm disappointed they have never got the Nelson-Palmerston North service right... the timetable has been lousy. And I am surprised no one else hasn't moved onto the route. 2017 will be a make or break year for Originair

Golden Bay Air
Steady as she goes

And further south

There have been talks about Air Safaris starting a service to Christchurch and Air Milford is going to try a weekly Queenstown-Manapouri service... Can't see anything enduring from either operators. Mainland Air tried services from Dunedin to Invercargill and Alexandra/Queenstown. Maybe a Sunair type air taxi service would work including Wanaka and Te Anau. In the end though there is not the traffic or distance to warrant these services and Dunedin airport being so far from the city is not helpful...

And for our southern most airline

Stewart Island Flights
Again, steady as it goes though I'm surprised they haven't done a Queenstown-Stewart Island service...

So my pick, a consolidation year unless Air NZ drops some more routes

2016 - The NZ domestic airline scene in review

1 February 2016

Jetstar begins Auckland-New Plymouth and Auckland-Palmerston North services

Jetstar Bombardier Q300 VH-TQM taxis to depart Auckland on 30 October 2016

1 February 2016

Barrier Air introduces an airport hopper service between North Shore and Auckland International Airports. There was no interest in the service and no more than a handful of flights were flown

13 February 2016

Barrier Air introduces Auckland-Hamilton services. The service was short-lived and ended by May 2016

Sounds Air's Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDB operating the first flight to Hamilton on 13 February 2016

16 February 2016

Kiwi Regional commences twice weekly Nelson-Tauranga services

Kiwi Regional's Saab 340 ZK-KRA taxis in at Tauranga on 23 July 2016

28 February 2016

Air New Zealand cuts Paraparaumu-Christchurch service

Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 ZK-NFI at Paraparaumu on 24 October 2014 

7 March 2016

Sunair offers services from North Shore to Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua acquiring Piper Navajo ZK-JGA to inaugurate services. The Navajo was later sold.

Sunair's Piper Navajo ZK-JGA at Tauranga on 13 March 2016

30 March 2016

Originair ceased operating its Jetstreams on the 1st of February 2016. Inflite Charters were contracted to operate Originair's services until the 30th of March 2016 when Originair ceased flying. 

Originair Jetstream 32 ZK-ECI at Nelson on 15 December 2015

2 May 2016

Barrier Air commences Auckland-Whangarei services

Barrier Air's Piper Chieftain ZK-VIP flew the first Whangarei service. It was photographed at Auckland on 30 November 2015

30 July 2016

Kiwi Regional ceased services. The final flights from Dunedin to Nelson and Tauranga were operated by Air Chathams' Fairchild Metroliner ZK-CIC on the 30th of June 2016. The Saab 340 ZK-KRA operated its last flight for Kiwi Regional on Tuesday the 26th of July 2016 flying from Dunedin to Nelson and Tauranga. 

Kiwi Regional's Saab 340 on approach to Hamilton on 26 June 2016

15 July 2016

Inflite Charter operated some Nelson-Palmerston North holiday flights for Originair

Originair Jetstream 32 ZK-ECI at Palmerston North on 15 July 2016

31 July 2016

Air New Zealand withdraws from Whanganui and cuts services between Blenheim and Christchurch

Two Bombardier Q300s at Whanganui - Photo Whanganui Airport

1 August 2016

Air Chathams commences Whanganui-Auckland services using Saab 340 ZK-KRA

Air Chathams Saab 340 ZK-KRA leaves Auckland on the first day on Whanganui services, 1 August 2016

1 August 2016

Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLX commences Blenheim-Christchurch services

Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLX at Wellington on 28 October 2016

August 2016

Barrier Air withdrew all three Piper Chieftains from its fleet

Barrier Air's Embraer 820, ZK-RDT, the Brazilian built Chieftain, at Auckland on 19 December 2016

20 August 2016

Air Freight NZ ended its Convair 580 operation. Convair ZK-KFH flew from Christchurch to Palmerston North (AFN646) and back (AFN647). 

Air Freight NZ's Convair 580 ZK-KFH rolls at Auckland on 26 January 2010

26 August 2016

Final services operated by Eagle Air

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2016/08/doin-eagle-rock-farewell-to-great_55.html

Eagle Air Beech 1900 ZK-EAH at Palmerston North before operating final flight to Hamilton on 26 August 2016

2 September 2016

Fokker Friendship services in New Zealand ended. Fokker Friendship ZK-PAX, operated the last flight from Christchurch to Auckland.

The two Airwork Fokker Friendships, ZK-PAX and  ZK-POH at Auckland on 12 August 2016

23 September 2016

Originair restarts services between Nelson and Palmerston North with flights operated by air2there. Flights were initially operated by Piper Chieftains and later with the Cessna Grand Caravan. 

Air2there's Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-MYH at Paraparaumu on 25 May 2016

1 November 2016 

FlyStark introduced scheduled flights connecting Whitianga, Great Barrier Island and Ardmore

FlyStark's Gippsland Airvan ZK-FSR at Ardmore on 3 November 2016

21 November 2016

Sounds Air commence a Blenheim-Kaikoura-Christchurch service following the magnitude 7.8 Kaikoura earthquake on the 14th of November 2016

Sounds Air's Cessna Caravan ZK-SAN at Kaikoura on a charter on 23 December 2013

9 December 2016

Sunair grounded by CAA - Airborne again on 16 December 2016. 

Sunair Piper Aztec at Hamilton on 11 November 2016