Maule M-5

What can I say, but that it has been an awesome day in Wellington! Long may it last, which, according to met reports, will probably be about today only... rain tomorrow...

Being a holiday period, it has been quite quiet, but today's visitor to the Aero Club is a Maule M-5-210C, ZK-DVF, which is registered to a Martinborough address. I last saw this aircraft back in 2008.

More photos of the Gulfstream G550 at Wellington

Today dawned somewhat more brightly than yesterday's gloomy conditions, so I headed out to grab some more photos of the Gulfstream G550/ GV-SP, N133CS. As it turned out, the aircraft was departing today so I got to see it go. Nice!

Anyway, here are the pictures.

Gulfstream and a King Air

It has been a wee bit gloomy today, although still very warm and still air, so a bit muggy also.

There is however a very nice Gulfstream G550, N133CS, parked up outside the aero club. Very, very nice :-)

The other aircraft from my brief visit to the airport was this Beech C90A King Air, ZK-MKG, registered to Air Wanganui.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas from Rodney's Aviation Ramblings!

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you have a safe, relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and New Year! I'm looking forward to your visits [and for many of you, continuing to enjoy your blogs] in 2014.

There's likely to be a reduction in posts until the next year... I already have a plan for something a little different in mid January - all I need is for the weather to cooperate. More details if it all comes off  :-)

Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Marlborough Helicopters and One News :-)

I have three aircraft to share from today.

The first is a Virgin Australia Airlines [NZ] Boeing 737-8FE, ZK-PBG. This livery is getting much rarer as the aircraft are progressively repainted into the current Virgin Australia livery. Note in particular the very very faded fuselage top.

The second is a Jetstar-registered Airbus A320-232, VH-VFD. Last we have a Marlborough Helicopters Bell 206B, ZK-HJI. This aircraft was transporting a One News crew to and from a bush fire at Port Underwood near Picton [click here for an early news report from stuff.co.nz]. I guess you'll see a report on the TV tonight, but you saw it here first [at the least the interesting part... the helicopter!] :-).

Yesterday's Air Ambulance

I took this photo of the Garden City Helicopters [Christchurch] Beech C90A, ZK-FDN, yesterday.

This aircraft is based at Nelson along with a rescue helicopter*

Anyway, it's a very nice looking aircraft. Just two photos - on the Western Apron and the departure off runway 34.

* post updated with confirmation that ZK-FDN is based in Nelson.

Flight to Whanganui!

Soon after arriving at the Aero Club today I was offered a ride to Whanganui and back.

Awesome! Chris and Rosanna were heading up to the sprawling metropolis that is Whanganui [for anyone outside of New Zealand, Whanganui is neither sprawling nor a metropolis...], so very shortly after the Airwork B737 [previous post] had arrived we jumped in the Club's Piper PA28R-201 Arrow, ZK-EIF, and headed up. Chris flies really well, so it was a very comfortable flight up and back.

After arrival in Whanganui [and noting that the stench was thankfully absent [it's an old news article, but still relevant]!] there was a brief stop to meet up with Rosanna's and Chris' family before heading back.

Photos start with a couple of the aircraft, followed by views of:

Raumai visual reporting point inside the Military Operating Aera M306 [which was not active when we went through...]

Mount Ruapehu [about 50 nm - about 90 km - north] - remember to click on the image for a larger version

the approach into Wanganui AD [NZWU] runway 29
the main aerodrome buildings as we departed

arriving back into Wellington, over the Hutt Valley looking south

the approach into Wellington AD [NZWN] runway 34

Some special aircraft today...

I was out at the Aero Club today and got to see a couple of very interesting aircraft!

The first was a Boeing 737-377, ZK-SLA, which is registered to Airwork Flight Operations. It appeared to be on a charter today as it parked on the Eastern Apron and the passengers were transferred to some buses.

The second was a Royal Australian Air Force owned Lockheed P3 Orion [no rego for this one]. I heard it when it was almost overhead, so that's all I got for a picture also.

Enjoy!

* Thanks to "Barry" for the update, especially on the RAAF P3 Orion [ see comments for more information]

Westjet Christmas gifts

I don't usually do this, but this is a really nice airline video.

Not one of the usual "pretend to be a safety video" types, but an awesome video showing Canadian airline Westjet surprising some of their Christmas season travellers. A really nice touch for those people [and good marketing for the airline also] :-)

Enjoy!

Boeings and Airbuses from today

Following on from my last post, here are a few examples of the Boeing and Airbus aircraft at Wellington today [apart from those in the previous post]. These ones aren't looking like impending doom :-), they are just pictures that I like.

Top to bottom we have:

Boeing 737-319, ZK-NGI, registered to Air New Zealand
Airbus A320-232, VH-VGT, registered to Jetstar Airways
Boeing 737-319, ZK-NGJ, registered to Air New Zealand
Airbus A320-232, ZK-OXA, registered to Air New Zealand
Boeing 737-838, ZK-ZQB, registered to Jetconnect [Qantas]
Boeing 737-8FE, VH-VUY, registered to Virgin Australia Airlines

Crosswinds at Wellington

Today was fairly windy with surface winds this afternoon up to around 47 knots [about 87 km/hr], but including crosswind components in the mid-20 knots at times.

Needless to say, this made for some interesting arrivals. Although photos don't really do justice, here are a sample of the more interesting photos. I should point out that all of these landings worked out really well; none of them were as bad as the photos might suggest... all credit to the flight crew!

Top to bottom we have:

Boeing 737-8KG, VH-VUY, Virgin Australia Airlines
ATR-GIE ATR72-212A, ZK-MCY, Mount Cook Airline [Air NZ]
Raytheon [Beech] 1900D, ZK-EAO, Eagle Airways [Air NZ]
ATR-GIE ATR72-212A, ZK-MVC, Mount Cook Airline [Air NZ]

Photography at Christchurch airport?

Mid January I will have a couple of hours spare at Christchurch airport [domestic only]. I haven't been to Christchurch in ages, so I'm not so familiar with the airport.

Can anyone advise of places in the airport offering good views of airside so I can get a few photos? I don't want to be intrusive or do anything dodgy, and it will need to be in the vicinity of the terminal...

Many thanks!

Just one photo today. It's not too windy, but is wet in Wellington today. Here's Air NZ's Boeing 737-319, ZK-NGJ getting airborne.

... and today back to sunshine!

What a difference a day makes. In my last post [from yesterday], it was windy, cloudy/ gloomy and a bit wet. Today is sunshine and light winds [especially this afternoon]. Yesterday many commercial turboprop flights were cancelled or delayed, today even the Club's light aircraft are up and about.

I guess that's one of the reasons I love living in Wellington - The weather can change overnight, so even if it is rubbish one day, the next day can be fine.

Anyway, just one photo today to show off the much improved conditions. This time it's an Air Nelson [Air NZ] Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NER. Enjoy!