29-Mar-08

Arriving into Woodbourne just after 9am from Napier was Brenzil/Sydney Jet Charter's Falcon 2000EX VH-CRW, which spent the morning before departing slightly after 1pm for Queenstown

Arriving in Woodbourne ahead of the Falcon was Life Flight Trust Metroliner ZK-LFT. The last time a corporate jet was in Woodbourne (N127SF 28-Feb) it to was preceeded by LFT, a strange coincidence.

Also arriving later on in the morning was Pionair Convair ZK-PAL

28-Mar-08 Training Day

Training day here in Marlborough today!

A flock of RNZAF Airtrainers spent the morning in the region and the circuit at Woodbourne, these included Trainer 89 (NZ1989), Trainer 90 (NZ1990), and Trainer 93 (NZ1993)

At the same time King Air 85 (NZ1885) approached and completed an overfly of Woodbourne before continuing on its IFR track to Christchurch

Also noted during the morning was Robinson R44 ZK-HQY of Rimutaka Heli-Services operating into the remote Cape Campbell airstrip on the Cook Straight coast, south of Blenheim

The afternoon belonged to a flock of aircraft from Massey University School of Aviation who spent time training in the Marlborough/Nelson area.

Piper PA-22-150 Tri Pacer

New Zealand has a population of 9 Piper PA-22-150 Tri Pacers of which 2 are domiciled here in Marlborough at Omaka

ZK-BLA c/n 22-3347 registered to local Andrew Johns, formerally with local legends Bill Ashley and Owen Hughes whose names still appear on the side of the aircraft and who still go for a spin in her on occassion.

ZK-BSH c/n 22-7321 registered to the intriguingly named Pie Chaser Syndicate

26/27-Mar-08

26 Mar 08
Air Manawatu Cessna 421C ZK-TRC was noted operating from Fielding to Auckland during the morning

27 Mar 08
Noted parked on the western grass at Woodbourne during the morning was Thunder Mustang ZK-TMG

Parked at Omaka was former Vincent Aviation Cessna 402C ZK-VAD now wearing a plain livery. VAD was transferred to new operator Skyline Trust of Nelson in February 08

Nothing of interest was noted in Nelson during the afternoon with the few visible aircraft comprising Q300's ZK-NEB,D,E & Vincent Aviation 1900D ZK-VAB

Ohakea open day

As promised I am finally working through my photos from my Wellington weekend and the trip to the RNZAF Base Ohakea Open Day ... here are a few of my favourites so far

Warbirds Dakota ZK-DAK


RAAF F-111 A8-138 dump and burn


Vampire ZK-RVM

25-Mar-08

Noted so far today

NZ Aerial Mapping Cessna 402B ZK-PVC arrived into Wellington from Christchurch

Airwork Boeing 737-219QC ZK-NQC operated Palmerston North to Auckland

Air Chathams Metroliner ZK-CIC was noted flying Christchurch to Nelson as CVA1 
onwards to Hastings around lunchtime

Waitomo Aero Club C172 ZK-FKS operating in the lower North Island around Masterton

Kapiti Districts Aero Club Partenavia P68C ZK-KAP routing Foxpine - Wanganui and return

TBM 850 VH-MRJ was noted late afternoon heading for Wellington from Christchurch and Queenstown

Fun & games

Fun and games today with the Air Nelson ALPA pilots strike

NZ8013/014 AKL-BHE-AKL FLIGHT CANCELLED
NZ8175/176 WLG-BHE-WLG FLIGHT CANCELLED
NZ2377/378 WLG-BHE-WLG as scheduled

So the unusual sight of 3 flights on the boards from WLG-BHE-WLG within 10 minutes (albeit 1 cancelled)
NZ2463 11:25 Blenheim As scheduled
NZ2377 11:35 Blenheim As scheduled
NZ8175 11:35 Blenheim Flight Cancelled

24-Mar-08 Notes ... updated

Some more noted additional Q300 capacity from NZ on the WLG-BHE-WLG route
~ Today 24-Mar NZ8179/180 (1430/1450)
~ Tomorrow 25-Mar NZ8175/176 (1200/1220)
        Note times in brackets are for BHE (arr/dept)

NZ Aerial Mapping Limited Cessna 207A ZK-SEU was noted operating Hastings - Paraparaumu as MAP08 .... 
later noted mapping the railway line between Tuamarina 
and Spring Creek (between Blenheim and Picton on SH1)
and is to be in the region for the next 2-3 days

Pionair Aviation Limited Convair ZK-PAL was noted operating from Te Anau - Rotorua

Cessna R182 ZK-MRG was noted returning to Hamilton from Wanaka

Auckland Air Charter Learjet 35A ZK-XVL was noted arriving into Wellington from Oamaru

21-Mar-08 Good Friday Traffic

Noted tracking from its Hastings base to Wanaka was Cessna C510 Citation Mustang N2243W

Hamilton based Cessna R182 ZK-MRG was noted making the long hop from Hamilton to Dunedin

Air Chathams Matroliner ZK-CIC operated CVA512 Chatham Islands - Wellington in leiu of the scheduled Convair

A few easter variations in the NZ schedule with NZ2005/006 (1110/1130) replacing NZ8013/014 (1115/1135) on AKL-BHE-AKL and added capacity with NZ8175/176 (1200/1220) on WLG-BHE-WLG

20-Mar-08 BHE & NSN

The day started with a fire in the paint shop at RNZAF base Woodbourne.  It took firefighters from Base Woodbourne, Renwick and Blenheim to control the blaze.

Arriving into Woodbourne just after 1000 were two Vampires (ZK-VAM & ZK-RVM) and the L-39 Albatros.  The refuelling stop on the way to Wanaka, caused alot of interest with quite a few Safe Air and airport staff and many members of the public gathering to watch. - Greetings to the English couple I met while watching them.

RVM & the L-39 with ZK PAX in the background

During the afternoon the following aircraft were noted in Nelson

Massey University School of Aviation Piper PA-34-220T ZK-MBI which had arrived from Palmerston North late morning.

Also spotted was Air Wanganui Commuter's Piper PA-31P-350 ZK-WTH

19-Mar-08

Movements today....

Q300 ZK-NET operated NZ2059/2052 WLG-BHE-WLG in leiu of the Vincent Dash 8

P40 ZK-CAG staged through Omaka on its way to Wanaka via Ashburton

Harvard Red formation was noted heading for Omaka also on route South to Wanaka and was turning downwind non-traffic for 30 as this was typed.

Thanks to Mike for the heads up

Associated Aviation C152 mishap

This afternoon (18-Mar-08)  a cessna 152 attempted to land at Omaka on the vector being re surfaced causing the plane to end up on its roof news article and photo here

This has prompted the Marlborough Aero Club to reiterate what is published in the NOTAMs that all vectors are closed except 30-12 which had been displaced sifdeways by 5m.

It also prompted this headline in the Marlborough Express
"Oh flip, wrong strip"

18-Mar-08

Noted so far today

Cessna Birddog ZK-DOG approx 7 miles north of Omaka on a GPS track to Ardmore

Aeroprakt A-22 ZK-JTA a microlight registered in Eltham joining for Omaka

Palmerston North based Vans RV-6 ZK-ESM also joined for Omaka

The 2 RAAF F-111s that had been at Ohakea for the airshow travelled to CHC via a low beat up of Woodbourne ... they will be based in CHC for the weekend to attend Warbirds over Wanaka

Coming soon...

Stand by for photos and info from my weekend in Wellington and the RNZAF Ohakea Open day ... to be posted shortly ... 571 to sort thru

Skytrain 08 aircraft - updated

There are 4 aircraft involved in Skytrain 08 - 3 Lockheed C-130 Hercules and a CASA CN-235

The CASA is 52-IH from Armée de l'Air (ALA) the French Air Force based in New Caledonia.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130H is NZ7005

There is a C-130H 730 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)

The second RNZAF C-130H has arrived and is NZ7001

I will post photos when/if I have them.

There has been plenty of action lately with Parachute drops around the WB and OM airfields.  
Last night (10-Mar-08) they were doing night flying from 24 at WB.  It wasn't really circuits as they crossed central Blenheim each time.  I believe they may have gone out to the beacon and established on finals there each time.  This involved two of the C-130s which followed one another, differentiated by two very different and distinctive sounds as they flew over.

04-Mar-08 Movements - updated

Movements of note so far today

Global Express N488CH logged on ACARS heading from Queenstown to Kona Hawaii after arriving from Rotorua and Auckland on Sat 01-Mar

The final Air Nelson Saab ZK NLT was noted tracking from Nelson to Apia during the morning on departure from NZ.  NLT was the left alone when NLE departed 28-Jan-08, and with its departure the curtain falls on Saab operations in NZ, and leaves Air Rarotonga as the last remaining operator in the south Pacific (excluding Australia)

Arring into Woodbourne mid morning was Cessna Citation 501 N800DT of National Business Review

Also logging on ACARS mid afternoon was Gulfstream 4SP ZK KFB returning to Wellington after spending a couple of weeks bouncing round the Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne area having departed for Sydney back on 21-Feb-08

NZ schedule alterations

Noted a couple of minor alterations to the NZ schedule to/from Auckland this week

Today and Wednesday's AK-WB-AK 8013/14 has been replaced with 8261/62 arriving at 1210 and departing at 1230 instead of 1115 and 1135, while 8013/14 operates as normal on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Todays WB-AK-WB 2162/73 has been cancelled

Weekend Movements

A reasonable weekend with the usual plethora of commuter aircraft, comprising the Piper's and Cessna's of air2there, Sounds Air and Vincent Aviation.

There were many other visitors over the weekend, most escaped me but the ones I managed to catch were

Saturday 01-Mar-08:
Pionair Aviation Convair 580 ZK-PAL making an apperance in the rain.
RNZAF King Air NZ1885

Sunday 02-Mar-08:
Airwork B737-219QC ZK-NQC arrived mid morning from Auckland
Another King Air arrived mid afternoon (unsure if it was RNZAF or civil)