Beech 1900D ZK-EAM back in service!

Contrary to the post made yesterday morning, Eagle Air Beech 1900D ZK-EAM has been pressed back into service to cover unexpected unservicability and it operated NZ2101 from Hamilton to Palmerston North.

So we'll watch this space for its next final flight!

A day with Golden Bay Air - Part 2

Part 1 of my day with Golden Bay Air can be found here... 

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/03/a-day-with-golden-bay-air-part-1.html

Somewhere over Cook Strait

Keiran (the Pilot) : So what are you going to do in Takaka for the day?

Steve : My sister and brother-in-law are staying in Nelson and are coming over to meet me.

Keiran : Well, we have to take ZOG over to pick up some passengers off an Air New Zealand flight and I have to pick up ZAG which has been on maintenance at Nelson... you can come for a ride if you like...

Well I've got a great sister and brother-in-law so they went and checked out the Takaka shops while I went flying...

Golden Bay Air does three major scenic flights... over Kahurangi National Park, Farewell Spit and over Abel Tasman National Park. The flight to Nelson took the scenic route around the coast of the Abel Tasman National Park and its magnificent coastline.

Let me introduce you to ZOG, or rather ZK-ZOG, Golden Bay Air's Piper PA28-181 Archer

Airborne from Takaka's Runway 36 under the command of the lovely Erman with me in the right hand seat and Kieran in the back seat...

Low tide in Golden Bay

The mouth of the Motupipi River, the small fishing port and Takaka behind

Port Tarakohe

Tata Beach

The Tata Islands

One of the many mussel farms at the top of the North Island

Wainui Bay

Taupo Hill

Whariwharangi Bay

Coming up on Separation Point with the light at the end...

Awaroa Bay

I'm told someone has donated one million dollars each year for the next forty years to restore the vegetation of Abel Tasman National Park and destroy the pine trees

Fisherman Island

Kaiteriteri

Riwaka

The changing face of horticulture and viviculture

Mapua

Rabbit Island

Nelson and the Boulder Bank

Follow the Q300 - passing Nelson

Finals for Nelson, Runway 20

And here is ZAG, ZK-ZAG, Golden Bay Air's Piper PA34 Seneca at Nelson after maintenance. My first flight in a Piper Seneca

Ready for departure on Runway 20.

Airborne from Nelson with Rabbit Island off the starboard wing

Looking back towards Nelson Airport and Monaco

and back on approach to Takaka

And a patient brother-in-law waiting for my return

Scenic flights offered by Golden Bay Air....

If you are in the Golden Bay and want to go flying check out...
http://www.goldenbayair.co.nz/scenicflights.html

Part 3 to follow!

Palmy looking for Half a Million Passengers

Passenger numbers through Palmerston North Airport are growing, but not as fast as hoped. Projections suggest the goal of just under half a million people a year may be just out of reach. In the six months to the end of December, there were 238,655 Air New Zealand passengers through the airport. That was 1 per cent up on the same six months for 2013, but below the increase that would probably be needed to reach the 475,000 goal for the full financial year. The figures were presented by airport company chairman Derek Walker and chief executive David Lanham to the Palmerston North City Council's finance and performance committee this week. The council is the airport's sole shareholder, and has been paid an annual dividend of just under $217,000. Lanham said reaching the target of nearly 500,000 passengers would depend largely on capacity growth - more flights and larger aircraft. If steady growth continued, the target could be reached in three years. The company is forecasting 488,000 people through the airport in 2017/18. That could improve if the airport were successful in attracting new flight operators to use Palmerston North. Walker said Air New Zealand's decision to drop direct flights to and from Nelson from April was a major disappointment, especially as flights were generally around 70 per cent full, indicating it was a service passengers wanted. The company was keen to see better connections through Wellington to Nelson, and was also trying to get the most convenient links to international flights. It was continuing to promote its "Fly Palmy" message, to get travellers from the wider region to start their journeys through Palmerston North rather than driving to other airports. "There is some potential for new entrants into the market picking up some routes," said Walker. "We continue to have talks. Palmerston North seems to be on the radar." Air New Zealand's cheap Night Rider fares had also been snapped up, boosting passenger numbers. Cr Chris Teo-Sherrell said he was concerned the airport could suffer if any new airlines failed or pulled out, as had happened in the past. Walker said the company would assess any newcomer's business case thoroughly before entering a new deal. On the other side of the terminal building, the airport's car park had been providing better returns than expected. The secure overnight parking area, which was full to capacity at the weekend when people flew to Auckland for the Eagles concert, was to be extended by about 40 parks and a new, separate entrance was to be put in.

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/67467158/Palmerston-North-Airport-needs-more-flights-to-reach-goal

A day with Golden Bay Air - Part 1

In my opinion one of New Zealand's most interesting airline operator's is Takaka's Golden Bay Air. On 12 January 2006 Richard Molloy and Lisa Sheppard launched Capital Air which offered flights between Wellington and Takaka.In May 2009 the base was moved from Wellington to Takaka and the company was renamed Golden Bay Air Ltd to reflect its increasing commitment to Golden Bay. Since then the company has grown and successfully operates a year around service from Takaka to the capital. Last Saturday (14 March) I had a wonderful day with Golden Bay Air...

For a history of Golden Bay Air see : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/sun-is-shining-on-golden-bay-air.html

To book a flight on Golden Bay go to : http://www.goldenbayair.co.nz/

Ride for the day was Golden Bay Air's Piper PA32 Saratoga pulling into Gate 20 at Wellington

I had wished it was going to be the Seneca - sigh!

The only sun in Wellington was on the Saratoga's tail

Mixing it with the big boys... ZIG being refuelled...

After the briefing, putting on the life jacket (Golden Bay Air policy) we were ready for boarding

Lining up runway 16 - guess who got the front seat!

And we were off climbing out over a murky Lyall Bay

Because of the low cloud there were great views of Island Bay...

...one of the Bluebridge ferries...

...and the entrance to Tory Channel.

Looking down Tory Channel.
Golden Bay Air tend to operate the Saratoga VFR when they can... with up to four flights a day over Cook Strait in the summer the pilots know the Cook Strait well

Looking down Queen Charlotte Sound

and the other way down to Picton... The cloud base a lot higher now

Pilot for the day was Kieran White seen here in his office

D'Urville Island in the distance and French Pass... when there was a shipping service between Nelson and Wellington the ships passed through the narrow gap!

After flying across Tasman Bay we approach Separation Point - Golden Bay lies beyond

Passing Awaroa

Wainui Bay

Spot the airfield!

Finals Runway 18 at Takaka

No waiting for baggage

While ZIG enjoys the sun before the afternoon service to Wellington

Part 2 of my day with Golden Bay Air can be found here...
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/03/a-day-with-golden-bay-air-part-2.html