Originair Airborne Again

Originair is operating between Nelson and Palmerston North over the school holidays. Flights are operated by Inflite Charter. 

The first flights were flown on Friday 15 July 2016 with BAe Jetstream 32 ZK-ECI operating INF3215 from Nelson to Palmerston North and INF3216 from Palmerston North to Nelson. Another return flight was operated between the two centres today.

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

More ATRs but less flights for Invercargill

Air New Zealand will be cutting the number of flights to and from Invercargill, and the city won't be getting a direct flight to Auckland. Airline officials said one daily flight from Invercargill Airport for every day of the week would be cut as of October 30 as part of a new schedule. Also as part of the new schedule, starting on October 30, flights from Invercargill to Christchurch will be operated exclusively on 68-seat ATR prop aircraft, with up to seven daily flights on weekdays and a new early morning flight from Christchurch to Invercargill. An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said overall passenger capacity would not be reduced, despite fewer flights, because the ATRs were larger than the aircraft currently in use on the route. NZ First MP Ria Bond said she was especially disappointed because of recent multimillion-dollar upgrades to the airport and lobbying by Southland business leaders for a direct flight to Auckland. "There seems to be no understanding that business people need to go to the Super City, yet many are driving to Queenstown or Dunedin just so they can get that direct flight," she said. "Apparently the focus is on getting people to connections for international flights, at the expense of local businesses who want to do a day's business in Auckland. It is ironic that the prime minister only recently opened a new airport at Invercargill and now Air New Zealand is cutting flights." Invercargill Airport's new, $13 million terminal was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key in April. Southland Chamber of Commerce president Carla Forbes said the chamber planned on speaking with business leaders about the decision and providing Air New Zealand with feedback. "We have found Air New Zealand to be committed to engaging with community stakeholders, working collaboratively to ensure they are operating a comprehensive domestic schedule delivering connectivity and consistency while also meeting the key needs of the Invercargill and Southland community." Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie​ said the new schedule would mean people could have a longer business day in Auckland because of earlier connections in Wellington and Christchurch. "The new connections and reliability will have a positive impact for both business and leisure travellers," she said. The Air New Zealand spokeswoman also said that flights from Invercargill to Wellington would use 50-seat Q300 aircraft from October 30. "Air New Zealand remains very much committed to serving Invercargill, and will continue to closely monitor our network to ensure capacity meets demand for services."

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/82135870/Air-New-Zealand-cutting-flights-from-Invercargill-not-adding-direct-flight-to-Auckland

Sounds Air's Taupo Ops

Thanks to Grayson who flew down to Taupo on 12 July 2016...  He captured these pics of Sounds Air's check-in facilities and their plane, Pilatus PC-12 ZK-PLT. BTW - I hate orange cones unless they are the ice cream variety!

Overnighting at Christchurch

Caught overnighting in Christchurch last night was Air Chathams' Convair ZK-CIF. The Convair departed this morning and then did a Chathams-Wellington return... Must have been dodgy weather on the Chats on Tuesday

Q300 operations at Hokitika

MRC Aviation is in home country at present and he has sent in these stunning pics of Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 operations into Hokitika. The national carrier is currently operating two flights a day between Christchurch and Hokitika...

ZK-NEK operating the morning CHC-HKK-CHC service on Monday 11 July 2016

The following morning, 12 July 2016, ZK-NFB was operating the morning service... 

while ZK-NFI operated the afternoon service

Who on earth is FlyStark?

Checking the CAA aircraft register today I noted that a company called Stark Airlines had a Gippsland GA8 Airvan registered to them as ZK-FSR. I had never heard of them and so I did some Google searching and this is what I found...

http://www.flystark.com/

Turning a love for planes and flying into a business 

When Waikato-based businessman (and Ferry Landing bach owner) Ray Stark obtained his private pilot’s licence three years ago, he thought, “If I want to remain the best pilot I can be, I need to have easy access to an aeroplane to fly.” At the same time the Mercury Bay Aero Club decided to sell its Cessna 172 four-seater aeroplane, registered CWD. “CWD is a relatively new plane and was very well looked after by the aero club,” Ray says. “I made the club an offer, which they accepted.” Ray owns a successful telecommunications company with offices in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, South Africa and the UK. The company also owns a charitable foundation involved in the development of schools and health facilities in poorer countries around the world. Ray decided two years ago to commence the process of withdrawing from the day-today activities of his company in order to focus more on the work of the charitable foundation, something he’s deeply passionate about. He loves spending time in Mercury Bay and thought about something he could also do to contribute to the local economy. “I had CWD,” Ray says. “I thought why not use the plane to start a scenic flight and charter business? I think the area has a need for a locally-based service that can fly people to wherever they want to go when it suits them. I also think there’s a market to bring tourists from outside the area to enjoy all the good things the area has to offer. And, of course, there are people who would love to see what Cathedral Cove and our stunning beaches look like from the sky, but there’s no one around to take them up.” A year ago Ray started the process to obtain what is called Part 135 certification. “It wasn’t easy,” he says. “But the Civil Aviation Authority finally approved us earlier this month and we now are authorised to fly paying passengers in CWD.” Ray has exciting plans for his new business, called FlyStark. “We’ll be available seven days a week at the Whitianga Airport for people to come out and go for scenic flights,” he says. “We have a vehicle available at Ardmore Airport, which passengers going to Auckland can use themselves or they can be dropped off at wherever they have to be. We’ll be happy to fly anywhere our passengers want to go, including the west coast of the North Island. We’ll be targeting cruise ship passengers in Tauranga, bringing them to Whitianga for the day. We’ll also be targeting people living on Great Barrier Island to come to Whitianga for a day or a weekend and we hope to take people from Whitianga to the Barrier for a cup of coffee too. “We’re also talking with local businesses like The Lost Spring about packages we can offer passengers from outside the area. “Our big advantage is that we can fly whenever to wherever people want and we can do so at genuinely competitive rates.” When Ray talks about “we,” he also refers to Wally Pendray and David Terpend, the two commercial pilots who will be flying passengers in CWD. Both of them are resident in Whitianga and will be actively involved in the business. Wally is a retired Qantas pilot with more than 30,000 hours’ flying experience. “We also have a few back-up pilots in Hamilton who may step in if neither Wally nor David is available,” Ray says. “And if we get too busy for CWD to cope, we’ll lease in more aircraft and, who knows, we may end up buying another aeroplane.” Talking about the future and more aeroplanes, Ray’s eyes light up. His love for planes and flying is clear and his passion for building his new business is as deep as his passion for the work his telecommunication company’s The FlyStark team.

Source : The Mercury Informer, 28 October 2015

...and also some pictures of their Cessna 1722 Skyhawk SP photographed at Ardmore on 15 February 2016  

I wonder what the Airvan will be used for???

The joy of flying

No news or photos to post so a slight diversion...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSWDW18ygaw&feature=youtu.be

Shots from Tonga

Many thanks to Peter White for these shots from Tonga...

Peter writes, Saab off to Vava'u with a full load. J32 getting ready for Ha'apai. MA60 looking forward to taking to the skies again. Y12 taking a break. Islander (no photo) busy TBU - EUA

Originair to Resume Services

Originair will recommence its direct flights between Nelson and Palmerston North in September 2016.  However, some flights will operate sooner during this month’s school holidays and its charter services are immediately available for flights throughout New Zealand.

Managing Director, Robert Inglis, said that the disruption to the airline's scheduled services over the past three months was the result of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) placing a restriction on the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) of the company then providing a contracted service to Originair.

Originair has recently contracted Inflite Charters Ltd of Auckland for the provision of these services and is now ready and able to fly customers again. The company is pleased to be able to offer its quality service on the popular Nelson-Palmerston North route, as well as providing charter services to most New Zealand destinations.

Mr. Inglis said that whilst the disruption to Originair’s services has been disappointing, especially at a time of sustained growth in customer numbers, he has full confidence in the new relationship with the well-resourced Inflite Charters Ltd operation.  Fieldair Engineering Ltd of Palmerston North will continue to maintain Originair’s aircraft.

The Nelson/Palmerston North service will initially focus on peak days each week before increasing services in-line with demand in the high season. Originair’s charter services will run as normal and other fixed price business for its aircraft is also being planned.

Originair has also made internal staff changes recently with two existing staff members being promoted to key positions. Tracey Pawson will now manage the company’s scheduled services, and Gary Jeffcott will manage charter flying, group bookings and tour services.

Mr. Inglis said he was grateful for the support Originair has received from its customers, and was looking forward to again being able to offer Nelson and Palmerston North travellers an easy, quality, direct service on its Jetstream aircraft. Mr. Inglis is also expecting the company’s popular charter service to be in demand.

Source : Originair Press Release

Getting ready for takeoff

According to the Air Chathams' website Fairchild Metroliner III ZK-CID is due to enter service today flying the afternoon services between Auckland and Whakatane and return... Thanks to MRC Aviation captured Air Chathams' second Metro outside their hangar at Auckland on 3 July 2016.

Saab to Vava'u

Now flying between Tongatapu and Vava'u for REAL Tonga is Saab 340 A3-PUA. The Saab started flying for REAL Tonga on 3 May 2016. Photo supplied

Artists Impression

I quite like the look of the Saab in Air Chathams colours as depicted in this artistic impression as seen on the Wanganui Chronicle's website...

Now, would you keep it as ZK-KRA 

or what would you register it as and why???

Britten Norman Islanders and Trislanders cancelled from the register

The following Great Barrier Airlines aircraft appear this week on the CAA aircraft register as cancelled having been exported...

BN Trislander ZK-LOU at Auckland on 14 November 2008

BN Trislander ZK-LGC at North Shore on 12 March 2013

BN Trislander ZK-LGF at North Shore on 29 January 2014

BN Islander ZK-REA at Auckland on 26 July 2011

Also, according to Air Britain magazine BN Islander ZK-KTR, which was never officially registered as such, has been purchased for spares.

Unregistered BN Islander ZK-KTR at North Shore on 26 January 2009

For for more photos of Islanders and Trislanders and a full history of Great Barrier Airlines see : 

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/05/the-barrier-connection-great-barrier.html

Also withdrawn from use is Great Barrier Airlines' Piper Navajo ZK-NSN seen here at Kaitaia on 1 December 2010

Gloomy Saturday #2

Saturday was a pretty gloomy day across the upper North Island but I had a couple of emails on Saturday night taken...

This is the second post, Sounds Air's Westport plane, Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLX...

Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLX at a gloomy Taupo on 25 June 2016

Gloomy Saturday #1

Saturday was a pretty gloomy day across the upper North Island but I had a couple of emails on Saturday night taken... 

I look forward to seeing what Air Chathams do with it...

Rockwell Commander 695 ZK-PVB taken at Auckland on 25 June 2016