Goosey, Goosey, Gander - Sea Bee Air Postscript 1

Goosey goosey gander,

Whither shall I wander?

Upstairs and downstairs

And in my lady's chamber.

There I met an old man

Who wouldn't say his prayers,

So I took him by his left leg

And threw him down the stairs

No, it's not quite "goosey, goosey, gander", more a case of "Goose, Goose, Turbo Goose." I was sent these stunning photos of Sea Bee Air's 3 Goose aircraft taken by the late Colin Ballatine. The three photos were taken at Mechanics Bay... Only the photo of DFC was dated; it was taken in September 1980.

The Sea Bee Air story can be found at http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/12/sea-bee-air-last-chapter-of-scheduled.html

So, in an attempt to be a little poetic...

Goosey, Goosey, Turbo Goose,

Where shall I cruise?

Waiheke, the Barrier

And Kawau's Lady Bay

There I met a tourist

wanting to go somewhere

So I took him on my north leg

And dropped him at Paihia.

Sea Bee Air - The Last Chapter of Scheduled Amphibious Services

In July 1976 Sea Bee Air Ltd applied to the Air Services Licensing Authority to take over Mount Cook Airlines’ Mechanics Bay-based amphibian services which had been operated until the 30th of April 1976. The company, made up of a syndicate of ex-Mount Cook staff and headed by Murray Pope, Mount Cook Airlines amphibian operation’s former chief pilot, purchased the fleet of four Grumman G-44 Widgeons, ZK-AVM (c/n 1466), ZK-BGQ (c/n 1391), ZK-CFA (c/n 1439) and ZK-CHG (c/n 1356), and Grumman G-21A Goose, ZK-DFC (c/n B-104), as well as the Mechanics Bay facilities and the aircraft ramp at Paihia. Grumman Widgeon ZK-CHG had been withdrawn from use by Mount Cook Airlines around 1975. While registered to Sea Bee it was never operated, being kept instead for a possible rebuild which never happened.

Mount Cook Airlines' colours - Sea Bee Air titles... Above Grumman Widgeon ZK-CFA taken at Mechanics Bay on 30 December 1976 and below Grumman Goose ZK-DFC taken at Mechanics Bay on 10 October 1976.

 

In a move to make the company viable the number of pilots was reduced from nine to three and the number of engineers from eight to three.

Delays in gaining a licence meant Sea Bee Air did not start operating until the 22nd of October 1976 with the company operating regular passenger and freight services to Great Barrier, Waiheke, Pakatoa, and Kawau Islands as well as to Russell/Paihia (Waitangi). The Waiheke service was the most important and the company operated three flights a day being between Mechanics Bay and Surfdale (Waiheke Island). The Auckland Aero Club/NZ Air Charter service to Great Barrier Island was a cheaper option that Sea Bee Air’s amphibious service to the Barrier and so daily flights were only offered over the summer with three on-demand flights a week offered during winter.

The first timetable, effective 22 October 1976

Gulf News, 28 January 1977

In the first year of operation Sea Bee Air carried 14,830 passengers between Waiheke Island and Auckland with demand for the service growing. Commenting on the company’s success Murray Pope told the Gulf News that, "We don't run as many flights… so our planes are fuller. We've done away with a lot of overheads. And the ferry alternative has deteriorated further and has probably alienated more people. Keeping fares at a minimum level was obviously an incentive for travellers, and the company was endeavouring to hold fares down as long as possible.” He also announced that Sea Bee would be looking to buy another 10-seat Grumman Goose and hoped to lift patronage on its Waiheke flights up to 20,000 per annum. He also noted the two flights daily to Paihia were well patronised, but traffic to Great Barrier Island was seasonal. A scheduled stop-off was made at Kawau Island, but Mr Pope said there was little traffic to Kawau after the Mansion House Hotel was closed in 1973. He also said two emergency "medical" flights were made each week.

Grumman Widgeon ZK-AVM at Mechanics Bay on 9 May 1978.

In 1978 a hovercraft was used to establish a fast ferry link between Waiheke and Auckland. Sea Bee Air immediately experienced a 25% downturn in traffic but the hovercraft service did not prove successful and so a second Grumman G-21A Goose, ZK-ENY (c/n 1145), was added to the fleet late in 1978.

The new Goose, ZK-ENY at Mechanics Bay in September 1981... on my first trip to Auckland. I wish I'd gone for a fly... 

Two serious incidents were experienced by the company in 1979/1980, both involving the same aircraft. Grumman Widgeon ZK-BGQ collided with a small runabout when doing a high speed taxi “on the step” from Paihia to Russell on the 14th of April 1979. Both occupants in the runabout were struck by the left hand propeller and killed instantly. The following year, on the 21st of January 1980, ZK-BGQ was written off at Kelly’s Bay on the Kaipara Harbour with the pilot and his passenger both killed.

The ill-fated Grumman Widgeon ZK-BGQ taken at Mechanics Bay on 10 June 1979.

In 1980 the British government contracted Sea Bee Air to operate an inter-atoll air service in Tuvalu, the former Ellice Island group. A McKinnon G-21G Turbo Goose, ZK-ERX (c/n 1205), was purchased and it arrived in New Zealand on the 3rd of May 1980. The internal air service commenced from Funafuti on the 21st of May 1980 using the Turbo Goose along with Grumman Widgeon ZK-CFA. During this time the Turbo Goose was also used to provide a brief air service to Tokelau Islands. In 1983 the British government cut the funding and the air service ended on the 15th of July 1983. Upon its return to New Zealand the Turbo Goose operated on the Auckland-Paihia service as well as on the other services in the Hauraki Gulf. However, the relatively short sectors were not economic for the turbo prop and the aircraft was subsequently exported to the United States in December 1984 as N77AQ.

McKinnon Turbo Goose, ZK-ERX, at Mechanics Bay with the Tuvalu flag on the tail. Photographer unknown





For more on the Tuvalu service see : http://brc58.multiply.com/photos/album/9/1979_Internal_Air_Service_-_Sea_Bee_Air

In the 1980s the company experienced two issues that led to its ultimate downfall. The first was the fuel crisis of the early 1980s. With skyrocketing fuel prices and a Government imposed price freeze the company came close to closing in 1982 and having to lay off staff. This sad turn of events came after Sea Bee Air had built up the patronage on the Waiheke service to some 22,000 people being carried per annum. The cost of fuel, along with the aging and the economics of operating the Widgeons, led to the fleet being gradually reduced.

Gulf News, 20 August 1982

Grumman Widgeon ZK-AVM was exported to Australia in June 1987 to become VH-WET. It later went to Papua and New Guinea as P2-WET before returning to New Zealand and being reregistered to Aquatic & Vintage Airways Ltd with its original registration ZK-AVM, on the 1st of July 1996. ZK-CHG was sold to O. C. E. Harnish on 10 July 1990 and ZK-CFA was sold to Aquatic & Vintage Airways in August 1994.

Grumman Widgeon ZK-CFA at Mechanics Bay on 3 August 1984.

The other issue was competition. On the Great Barrier Island service it came in the form of Great Barrier Airlines who ushered in a more professional and efficient air service to the Barrier from late 1983. A greater threat, however, came in the mid-1980s with proposals to introduce fast ferries on the Auckland-Waiheke service. The proposed ferry service promised a 35 minute service with a return fare of $10 compared to the then Auckland-Surfdale air fare of $30. 

With competition looming it became increasingly obvious to Sea Bee Air that the days of the amphibians were numbered. To counter this Bell 206B Jetranger ZK-HVC (c/n 231) was added to the fleet. This was used for local sightseeing, charter work and, when necessary, to maintain the Waiheke service when sea conditions made it difficult for the amphibians.

Then, in early 1986, the company looked to establish their own land-based operation and announced to Great Barrier Airlines they were prepared to either go into competition with them or to buy them out. Great Barrier Airlines chose a wait-and-see and attitude. Later that year two land-based aircraft were added to Sea Bee Air’s fleet; Piper Pa23-250 Aztec E ZK-FMU (c/n 27-2970) was registered to the company on the 20th September 1986 and Britten-Norman BN2A-8 Islander ZK-FMS (c/n 042) on the 7th of November 1986. As an interim measure Great Barrier Airlines forestalled competition by leasing the Islander before a decision was taken by Great Barrier Airlines to sell out to Sea Bee Air in April 1987. A number of land-based aircraft were subsequently registered to Sea Bee Air but only Islanders ZK-FMS and ZK-JSB carried the company’s titles.

BN Islander ZK-FMS at Auckland on 2 November 1986.

Other aircraft that were registered to Sea Bee Air included Pa23 Aztecs ZK-CEU (c/n 27-217) and ZK-DJG (c/n 27-2638) and Piper Pa28-181 Archer ZK-FNA (c/n 28-7790053) while the company also used Piper Pa28-140 Cherokee ZK-DJI, Piper Pa39 Twin Comanche ZK-ERH, Lake LA-4 Buccaneer ZK-DQM, Aerospatiale AS350B Squirrel ZK-HZO and Agusta A109A II ZK-HXI.

From 1988 the first large fast catamarans began carrying passengers to Great Barrier and Waiheke Islands. The introduction of a regular, dependable fast ferry service had an immediate and major detrimental impact on Sea Bee Air’s loadings to Waiheke and the amphibian business disappeared almost overnight. The company looked for other opportunities to develop the business, including skiers flights to Mount Ruapehu during the winter of 1988. The decision was made, however, to end scheduled services, the last being flown during Easter 1989 and the fleet started to disappear.

Timetable for the Ruapheu flights, August 1988

Grumman Goose ZK-ENY was cancelled from the register in November 1989 and exported to Australia as VH-ENY. The helicopter operation was sold to The Helicopter Line later that year. Grumman Goose ZK-DFC flew the last commercial flight during Easter 1990, though the aircraft was not sold until September 1991 when it was exported to the USA as N3116T. So ended New Zealand’s history of amphibious air services.

I had to sprint from the car to get Grumman Goose waddling into the water at Paihia on 31 October 1986.

Geese over Auckland... ZK-DFC and ZK-ENY. Photographer Unknown. 

The previous posts on the amphibian air services operated in New Zealand can be found at...

Amphibian Airways
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/10/60-years-of-stewart-island-air-service.html

Tourist Air Travel
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/11/shower-of-spray-and-were-away-nz.html

Mount Cook Airlines
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/07/mount-cook-airlines-amphibian-service.html

Stewart Island Air Services
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/04/nzs-southern-most-airline-pt-1-stewart.html
 

Central Otago Air Service Woes

In recent times there have been a couple of newspaper articles about air services to Central Otago...

While Queenstown is doing well with flights to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, the Otago Chamber of Commerce is still looking for a Dunedin-Queenstown service...

Central Otago residents who regularly travel for business could benefit from the recent findings of the Otago Chamber of Commerce’s recent air transportation survey. The chamber has compiled its findings from the survey and the results have been presented to a commercial airline for further consideration. Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said the aim of the survey had been to gauge the transportation requirements of those who travelled in the region, where they were going and what level of service was required. Finding out whether the region was well served for air transportation and the potential interest in an air link between Dunedin and Queenstown had also been a priority for the survey, Mr Christie said. The survey results showed 43% of respondents would use a Dunedin to Queenstown air service if one was available and 33% would use the service if the price was under $200 a ticket. ‘‘There’s definitely an increased desire for frequency of service in the area,’’ Mr Christie said. ‘‘If they were large players we think it’s worthy of further research as long term potential. Mr Christie said he believed the results were worth investigating, but a business case had to be established first.

Source : Rachel Harris, The News 27 October 2011

Meanwhile Eagle Air has confirmed its reduction to its Wanaka-Christchurch service

Wanaka’s scheduled air service is to revert to just one flight a day. Back in August last year Air New Zealand subsidiary Eagle Air began trialling two flights a day. Eagle Air CEO Carrie Hurihanganui says they worked hard with the local business and tourism sectors to try to make the new schedule work. “While the schedule changes over the past year have seen some growth in the market, other influencing factors such as seat factor, fare levels etc have not grown.” “Consequently with escalation in fuel costs and increases in operating costs, the poor performance of the route has significantly escalated.” Carrie says ongoing discussions with QAC and the Wanaka Airport Committee earlier this year on terminal facilities and their increased charges yielded on results and have added further cost pressure to the already struggling performance. Carrie says the decision to drop the extra flights doesn’t mean they are giving up on future growth out of Wanaka and they will continue to monitor the situation. The schedule changes will officially come into effect in late January. There is already a reduced schedule in early January, as in previous years, due to less business traffic at that time.

Source : http://wanakalive.com/news, 6 December 2011

 

Trans Island Air - The Quietest, Quickest way to and from the Barrier

Trans Island Air continues the story of the operator Parakai Aviation, see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/11/helensville-great-barrier-island.html

In 1996 the Parakai Aviation shareholders, Des Grant and Peter Clulow, and Brian Baudinet, a director of Air Rarotonga, formed a new company, Trans-Island Air Ltd to purchase and operate a brand new Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, primarily on the Auckland-Great Barrier Island route. Rather than operate the service under the Parakai Aviation banner, it was decided a more corporate identity was needed that would attract passenger and would allow for future expansion.

On the 29th of November 1996 Trans Island Air launched a twice daily scheduled service from Auckland International to Great Barrier Island’s Claris and Okiwi airfields using  New Zealand’s first Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-VAN (c/n 208B-0561) and Partenavia P68B ZK-PFT (c/n 42). The company's first schedule also showed a Friday and Sunday evening Parakai-Great Barrier Island return service as had been operated by Parakai Aviation the previous summer. The link to Parakai was subsequently dropped leaving the twice daily return flights from Auckland.

Trans Island Air timetable, Effective 1 December 1996

With the aircraft being worth some $ 2 million dollars this was, at the time, the largest investment made on an aircraft to service Great Barrier Island. The Grand Caravan was configured to operate with two pilots and with seating for 12 passengers, with each of these having a baggage allowance of 20 kgs – the current operators allow 15 kgs! With such a sizeable investment, however, the company needed other work for the aircraft. It was envisaged that 35-40% of its utilisation would arise from the Great Barrier run, 50% from carrying courier or other freight work throughout in New Zealand, with the remaining 10-15% coming from parachuting at Parakai.

Trans Island Air's Cessna Grand Caravan, ZK-VAN, at Auckland on 30 November 1996

1997 saw a dog fight on the Auckland-Claris route with fierce competition for Trans Island Air coming from Great Barrier Airlines and Northern Air. In early 1998, Mark Roberts, general manager of Great Barrier Airlines, summed up the 1996-1997 air war in the Barrier Bulletin when he said, "Increased competition led to a price war among the airlines benefiting passengers but leaving companies with little or no profit. It also led to a misguided perception in the general public's eyes that lower fares meant previously they had been charged too much. Increased competition did force us to bring our airfares down but the result is that we have made no profit for the past two years."

The Caravan impressed Great Barrier Islanders with its comparative luxury and  its quietness. In September 1997 the Barrier Bulletin reported that the airline had built quite a reputation with passengers for its professionalism and excellent service - and with island residents for its cut-price airfares offered to them during off-peak times.

Despite the accolades all was not well and on the 17th of December 1997 Trans Island Air announced the service was ending. Company officials said it was not financially viable for the company to continue, citing tough competition with three companies operating on the route and a lack of success in obtaining regular contracts for night courier and cargo runs. Without the necessary aircraft utilisation necessary the service was unable to continue.

The final Trans Island Air timetable, effective 1 December 1997. Barrier Bulletin, December 1997

Trans Island Air reached a commercial agreement with Great Barrier Airlines for it to honour all outstanding bookings and tickets, part of that agreement being that Trans Island Air would continue to operate the Cessna Grand Caravan for Great Barrier Airlines until the 20th of January 1998. The Caravan was subsequently exported and the Partenavia sold.

Air Discovery - Is it all over?

Noted when through Tauranga the week before last was Air Discovery's Cessna 206 ZK-WWH in the Island Air/Adventure Aviation hangar devoid of Air Discovery markings. The CAA register now shows ownership was passed to Adventure Aviation (NZ) Limited on the 13th of November 2011. This leaves Air Discovery with just one aircraft registered to them, Piper Pa34 Seneca ZK-FNB. Their webpage remains active.

Q300 broken into at Paraparaumu

The break-in of a plane at Kapiti Coast Airport overnight potentially placed people's lives at risk, says the airline involved. Senior Sergeant Alasdair Macmillian, of Kapiti, said the break-in happened between 8pm yesterday and 6am today. The break-in forced the cancellation of the 6.55am Air Nelson service between Kapiti and Auckland. Grant Kerr, the general manager of Air Nelson, said the person opened the emergency exit door. Ground workers noticed the Q300's ditching dam device had been deployed, and alerted the pilots before they had carried out their first-flight inspection. A ditching dam is a 30cm-long rubber buffer intended to keep water out of the aircraft in the event of a ditching. Air Nelson said the aircraft had been put through a systems check and no other damage or interference had been found. It will be released back to service today. Kerr said he was disappointed the incident happened so soon after the Kapiti to Auckland service started. "I am disappointed that people with so little to do had not thought of potentially placing people's lives at risk." He said they would be looking at security at the airport as part of the investigation. The property was classed as a non-security regulated airport, so it does not have the 2.44m-high fencing security guards required at larger airports. The security at the airport is managed by the airlines. No other flights were affected by the break-in. Passengers due to travel on the 6.55am service were transferred by bus to Wellington Airport and put on another flight. Kapiti Coast Airport opened at the end of October following a long battle by owner Sir Noel Robinson. Mr Robinson bought the airport in 2006 and sparked strong local opposition after revealing plans for the 30-year redevelopment. About $4 million was spent upgrading the runway and aviation services and developing a new terminal on the site. The airport now offers flights with Air New Zealand subsidiary Air Nelson, as well as charter flights. Kapiti Coast Airport chief executive Steve Bootten said the plane parking area was flood-lit overnight.

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6074642/Kapiti-passenger-plane-break-in-investigated

Sad Day for Salt Air...

The wreckage of a helicopter has been found after it went missing last night surveying a large scrub fire, which has destroyed three homes, in Northland. The helicopter, with two crew on board, disappeared last night. The helicopter - owned by Salt Air, of Kerikeri, and believed to be a light single engine Eurocopter Squirrel - was about 350 metres off the coast when it disappeared.

Sadly the bodies of the pilot and passenger have been found after this sad helicopter crash involving Aerospatiale AS 350BA Squirrel ZK-IMB. My sympathy and prayers go out to the families and the workmates from Salt Air and the Department of Conservation

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6065565/Wreckage-found-of-helicopter-missing-after-blaze

and

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6065565/Experienced-pilot-a-Far-North-figure

Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-IMB at Ardmore on 4 May 2011. Photo : W Grant

Tweaking to Air New Zealand Link Wanaka and Hokitika Flights

Having found this little piece in the Otago Daily Times... Wanaka Airport remained critical to increasing visitor numbers and said it was disappointing Eagle Air had signalled a further reduction in daily services to one a day (http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/wanaka/187747/wanaka-struggling-attract-tourists)... I did a bit of a search on the Air New Zealand website...

Wanaka is indeed moving towards just a single flight each day.

Hokitika remains largely the same, namely, two flights to and from Christchurch on Saturdays, three on Sundays and four on weekdays. The only change is that the Wednesday and Friday morning Q300 flights revert to a Beech 1900, so the Q300s are only doing two flights a week now on Monday mornings and Friday evenings.

There doesn't seem to be any major changes on other routes... and Masterton still only gets one a day!

Helensville-Great Barrier Island - Parakai Aviation

Parakai Aviation Ltd was established at Parakai airfield, near Helensville, in 1991 by Des Grant and Peter Clulow, two Air New Zealand Boeing 767 captains. In its first four years the company focussed on training, flightseeing, aerobatic joy rides and charter work.

In 1995 the decision was made to offer a regular weekend service to between Parakai and Great Barrier Island. Peter Clulow told the Barrier Bulletin that the company was not trying to compete with other air services to the island but "opening up the north-west Auckland area to Barrier people and promoting the Barrier to the Helensville area. The other air services are some distance from there". Alison Williamson was appointed marketing and sales promotion manager and prior to the service getting airborne she coordinated a group of Helensville business people being taken to Great Barrier Island on a familiarisation and promotion tour.

Nor-West Newsbrief, 30 November 1995

Passengers from the familiarisation flight - Barrier Bulletin, December 1995

Flights started on the 1st of December 1995 with a Friday and Sunday late afternoon Paraki-Great Barrier-Parakai service being flown by either the company’s Partenavia P68B, ZK-PFT (c/n 42) or Cessna 182Q Skylane ZK-PFS (c/n 18265549).



Parakai Aviation's Partenavia, ZK-PFT, taken at Wanaka on 6 April 1996. Photo : M Condon

Cessna 182 Skylane ZK-PFS, taken at Wanaka on 2 April 1994.

The Parakai-Great Barrier service ended in April 1996 with the intention to restart in October for the next summer season. In the meantime the Partenavia continued to operate to the Barrier under charter to Air National's Great Barrier Express. The following summer Parakai Aviation began operating to Great Barrier Island again, this time under a new name, Trans Island Air, with a new aircraft, a Cessna Grand Caravan, and this time on the prime Auckland-Claris air route.

For more on Parakai Aviation see : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/12/trans-island-air-quietest-quickest-way.html

Barrier Bulletin, April 1996

As for Parakai Aviation itself, on the 20th of April 1997 the flying school closed because a viable agreement could not be reached with landowners, the Parakai Parachute Centre.

Gisborne the last couple of days...

Sunair's Piper Aztec ZK-EVP taxis on the way to Rotorua... first photo of EVP in this scheme for me. Photo taken at Gisborne on 24 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Gisborne Helicopters' Bell 407 arriving home to Gisborne on 24 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Not moving anywhere was Aerospread's Cresco ZK-LTE. Taken at Gisborne on 24 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Air Gisborne Seneca taxis to its hangar. Photo taken at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 by S Lowe.

After some training and a refuelling stop Sunair's Aztec ZK-DGS taxis back to its tie-down... I prefer this scheme to tha on EVP. Photo taken at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Sunair's Cessna 172 ZK-DKK was also out flying today. Photo taken at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Another 172, ZK-DXF belongs to Air Gisborne. Photo taken at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 by S Lowe.

One of the most awkward planes to get a side on photograph of while keeping the titles in... the controls being locked don't help. Air Napier's Piper Cherokee 6, ZK-ELK. Photo taken at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Another of Air Gisborne's fleet, Grumman American AA-5A Traveler. Photo taken at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Skyline Aviation's Beech C90A King Air at Gisborne on 25 November 2011 by S Lowe.

Napier Yesterday

A quiet day at Napier, the most exotic being Gulfstream 550 N818LK at Napier on 24 November 2011. Photo : S Lowe

...and of more interest to me Air Napier's Piper Navajo ZK-NPR obligingly using the cross runway. Photo taken at Napier on 24 November 2011 by S Lowe

A trip on Sunair...

One of projects of my NZ airline madness is to fly into every Air New Zealand destination on Air NZ (WHK, GIS, WKA and MON to go) and to fly on each of the smaller third level airlines.

Last night it was Sunair's turn and I booked on their Napier-Paraparaumu service. This service is mainly a courier flight but also carries passengers on demand. As I awaited for the flight at Napier's terminal I heard a woman telling someone that if she wanted to fly to from Napier to Rotorua she would have to fly via Auckalnd. So much for the Sunair signage not too many metres away.

When the flight arrived from Gisborne my pilot, Dion Currie, told me the flight was going to Hamilton due to the gales lashing the lower North Island. As I was going for the ride I didn't mind where we went.

The courier packs arrive locally by courier van and from the connecting Air Napier flight from Gisborne and Wairoa

 

With a howling westerly at Napier a right turn after take off with nice views of Napier and up the East Coast

 

Pilot for the flight, Dion

Extensive cloud cover was the order of the day...

 

Breaking out into the Waikato and turning finals at Hamilton

Ride for the night, Piper Aztec ZK-PIW at Hamilton on 23 November 2011, as the front moves in. The courier bags unloaded we were quickly under way.

With a flight time off 1 hour 5 coming to Hamilton punching into the westerlies, the flight home was sure to faster... punching along at a ground speed of 210 knots... AZJET!

A glimpse of Lake Taupo above and a fuzzy shot of Napier as we bounced around in the westerly letting down for Napier.

 

What a great trip. Sunair has done a great job of surviving in a difficult market and yet providing a dependable operation with the Aztec being a solid platform for its operations. For more on Sunair see

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

Thanks to Marion and Dion of Sunair for a great evening.