Wellington on Monday - Sounds Air

Sounds Air's Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-PDM at Wellington on 7 October 2024

Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLZ at Wellington on 7 October 2024

Sounds Air's Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-SAN at Wellington on 7 October 2024

Sounds Air's Cessna 208 Grand Caravan ZK-SAY at Wellington on 7 October 2024

 

Last Photo from Te Tai Tokerau

After a week in the north this was my last photo of Air New Zealand Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEB departing Kerikeri on 5 October 2024

 

Introducing ZK-SDA

 

Painted now in Barrier Air colours is the company's sixth Cessna Grand Caravan. The EX model Grand  Caravan built in 2022 and arrived into New Zealand on 31st of July 2022 before being registered locally as ZK-ROW. It was reregistered as ZK-SDA on the 1st of October 2024 and has been at Flight Care in Napier being painted in Barrier Air colours. ZK-SDA will enter service with Barrier Air in the coming weeks.

Congratulations to Barrier Air on their newest aircraft.

Barrier Air's Cessna Grand Caravan EX at Flight Care in Napier on 7 October 2024. Thanks to Barrier Air for letting me use these pics

ZK-SDA/3   Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX                                      c/n 208B5691

N932DT                          Textron Aviation Inc, Wichita, KS, USA

                  21/07/2022   Delray Air LLC, Delray Beach, FL, USA

                  31/07/2022   Arrived Auckland after ferry flight via Merced, CA, Honolulu,

                                      Pago Pago

                  10/08/2022   Registration cancelled - Exported

ZK-ROW    11/08/2022   Finbar Airways Limited, Napier

                  01/10/2024   Registration Cancelled

ZK-SDA      01/10/2024   Great Barrier Airlines Limited, Auckland Airport

Arriving in Auckland on 31 July 2022 at the end of its ferry flight from the USA, Cessna 208 Grand Caravan EX N932DT  

On the New Zealand register as ZK-ROW at Auckland on 28 April 2024

Another One Withdrawn

Another of Airwork's Boeing 737s has exited their fleet. Boeing 737-36E ZK-FXK (c/n 25256) first flew in 1991. Its pre-New Zealand history can be found here... https://www.aussieairliners.org/b-737/zk-fxk/zkfxk.html

Prior to entering service Airwork's Boeing 737-300 freighter ZK-FXK at Auckland on 10 January 2020

It arrived into Auckland on the 28th of September 2019 as TF-BBE. It entered service with Airwork on the 25th of May 2020 flying from Auckland to Sydney as AIRWORK 1 and returning in the early hours of the 26th  as AIRWORK2.

After operating overnight trans-Tasman freight flights ZK-FXK under tow to the Airwork maintenance facilities at Auckland on 5 September 2023

It operated on Airwork's flights in Australia and across the Tasman until April this year. Its final flights were on the 17th of April 2024 from Auckland to Melbourne as AIRWORK 4 and the return flight, AIRWORK 5, in the early hours of the 18th of April 2024.

The end of ZK-FXK at Auckland on 25 September 2024. Photo supplied

It was cancelled from the New Zealand civil aviation register as withdrawn on the 4th of October 2024.

My history of Airwork with the current fleet list can be found here... https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2024/04/airwork-nz-pioneer-company-still-flying.html

Evening Flight to Kerikeri

It wasn't great light to capture Barrier Air flight 515 arriving into Kerikeri from Auckland on the evening of 4 October 2024

Rush Hour at Kaitaia

Between 3.30 and 4.15pm on Thursday afternoon, 3 October 2024, it was rush at Kaitaia

Sunair's Piper Aztecs ZK-FVP and ZK-DIR waiting the medical teams to fly them back to Whangārei

Sunair Piper Aztec ZK-DIR at Kaitaia on 3 October 2024

Sunair Piper Aztec ZK-FVP at Kaitaia on 3 October 2024

Barrier Air's Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-SDE operating the flight afternoon flight from Auckland in Kaitaia and return on 24 October 2024

 

Whangārei on Monday

Sunair's Piper Aztec ZK-DIR returning to Whangārei from Kaitaia with the medical flight on 30 September 2024

ZK-DIR again, off to the pumps

Tecnam P92 Echo Super ZK-LJW at Whangārei on 30 September 2024

Cessna 177 Cardinal ZK-PKR at Whangārei on 30 September 2024

Skyline Aviation's Beech Super King Air ZK-WPN at Whangārei on 30 September 2024

 

More Domestic Retrenching

 

A piece form Radio NZ yesterday... My guess would be to watch for more!

Air New Zealand is cutting back capacity on three domestic routes by flying smaller planes or flying fewer times a day. This comes after Monday's announcement that the airline would cut flights between Invercargill and Wellington from January next year. It is now changing the aircraft for two routes from a 171-seat Airbus A320 jet to a 68-seat ATR-72, a reduction of 100 seats, citing a decrease in customer demand.

Queenstown to Christchurch

The smaller plane will be used for the first flight of the morning from Queenstown to Christchurch. It will also depart later - just before 9am. The Queenstown to Auckland jet service will be increased by two more services a week.

Dunedin to Wellington

Flights from Dunedin to Wellington will also now operate using the smaller ATR-72 plane. The first flight has been pushed back too, and passengers will be able to arrive in Wellington at 8.30am. They currently arrive at 7.40am. The last return non-stop flight will be at 4.30pm, while a connecting flight through Christchurch will depart Wellington after 6pm. Currently the latest direct flight departs at 7.45pm.

Christchurch to New Plymouth

The route from Christchurch to New Plymouth will be reduced by three flights a week, cutting back the early morning and late evening trips. These flights will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Blenheim to Wellington

Capacity from Blenheim to Wellington has not been reduced, but the first flight will be slightly later. In a statement, Air New Zealand said the changes were a result of reduced demand in response to the tough economic times, while some aircraft are out of service due to global engine maintenance issues. General manager domestic Scott Carr said those already booked to travel were being rebooked. He said it was not uncommon for the airline to change its schedule.

Source : https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/529638/air-new-zealand-cutting-back-capacity-of-domestic-routes

First Day of Daylight Saving

Island Aviation's BN Islander ZK-SFK arriving into North Shore on 29 September after its flight from Claris on Great Barrier Island

 

Jetting into the Chathams

Texel Air's Boeing 737-8B5(BCF) ZK-TXE operated into the Chatham Islands today as TNZ176 / TNZ175 and being the first Boeing 737 to use the recently extended runway. 

An anonymous poster on the blog a few days ago wrote, 

Our boat has been out of action over the winter as has been well publicized in the media. However has been back plying its trade since mid July. Recently there was an issue with the Southern Tiare's Crewing Requirements. This caused a severe delay to a Island bound sailing, thus delaying all other voyages, including over to Pitt.

The flights are bringing infrastructure needed for our new wind farm, as well as other time critical supplies. Would be great to see this become a regular thing. Especially given the  Southern Tiare is very much on its last legs and we cannot keep going without basic necessities when the boat is on survey.

A similar return flight was operated on the 24th of October 2024.

Nelson News

Thanks to Terry Hodges for these notes and photos from Nelson... Terry writes, 

Very interesting movement this evening (29 September 2024) was VH-UYV Aerostar departing back to SYD direct. One of my friends who works at Generation Global informs me it had a full Interior Refresh

Of other interest VH-PRZ C172 also arrived from SYD last night after nearly 12hrs! this is also getting an interior refresh, unfortunately was dark so no pics, will endeavor to get some when it departs back to SYD in a month or 2

Aerostar VH-UYV departing Nelson on 29 September 2024

As a side note, three airlines have used Aerostars on regular services in New Zealand;

Akarana Air : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/07/who-was-akarana-air.html

Nationwide Aviation (NP) : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2012/09/nationwide-aviation-taranakis-own.html

Buckley Air : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/08/last-flight-to-tokoroa-buckley-air.html

Terry also caught Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign on its first visit to Nelson today, 30 September 2024