Maule M9

Today's picture are of a Maule M-9-235 which arrived at Wellington for a quick stop. Inside and out appear immaculate and according to the owner he can get it off the ground in about 100 meters [not sure if that's a MAUW or one up, but it's impressive either way]!

Anyway, on to the photos. First up the outside, second up the panel. Enjoy.

Maule M9-235, ZK-VRF, registered to Capital Aviation

Maule M9-235, ZK-VRF, registered to Capital Aviation

Citabria at Wellington

Today's interesting photo is of a Champion 7GCBC Citabria, ZK-CRH, which is registered to a Wakatipu [Queentown] address. I didn't have my usual camera at the time, so this is from my phone camera instead.

I understand that this one is recently off a major rebuild. It certainly looks very very nice inside and out!

Champion 7GCBC Citabria, ZK-CRH

Random shots from Saturday and Monday

Here are a few more shots from last Saturday and Monday in Wellington.

First up is the Ridge Air-operated Piper PA34-220T Seneca, ZK-BJM. This came in to pick a couple of people up and was in and out in just a few minutes.

Piper PA34-220T Seneca, ZK-BJM, operated by Ridge Air

Next up is yet another photo of the RNZAF's Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571. There seem to have been a lot more weekend movements by this aircraft recently, and what appears to be mostly civilians getting on and off... anyway, I finally got a decent head-on shot of it.

Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571, operated by the RNZAF

And a final B757 photo, this time departing on Monday afternoon. What a cool machine :-) Again this is NZ7571... not sure what NZ7572 is up to... overseas perhaps?

Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571, operated by the RNZAF

More from Air Chathams

Today's photo is of a General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIB. This aircraft is operated by Air Chathams.

General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIB, operated by Air Chathams

General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIB, operated by Air Chathams

Kiwi Air's PAC750XSTOL at Wellington

Another interesting visitor to Wellington today [although I understand it has been around for a few days at least] is a Pacific Aerospace P750XSTOL, ZK-XLE, which is operated by Kiwi Air Ltd [not to be confused with Kiwi Regional Airlines].

Kiwi Air is a Gisborne-based organisation which undertakes aerial surveying, ag work, parachuting etc.

Pacific Aerospace P750 XSTOL, ZK-XLE, operated by Kiwi Air

I know what some of you are thinking... that's one ugly aircraft. Perhaps so, but it's definitely one I'd like to have a go at flying one day! :-)

Global Express to Wellington

Today's unusual visitor was a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express, VH-TGG, which is operated by a company called Gandel Investments. The aircraft was only on the ground for around around 40 minutes, having arrived direct from Sydney, Australia. I guess this would amount to one of the shortest stays for a corporate jet in New Zealand?

Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express, VH-TGG, operated by Gandel Investments

Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express, VH-TGG, operated by Gandel Investments

Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express, VH-TGG, operated by Gandel Investments

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More from the RNZAF

Last Saturday saw the arrival and departure of an RNZAF-operated Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571. Flightradar24 tracks indicate it came from north of NZ, Where it actually came from I don't know. Still, it's a nice looking aircraft.

Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571, operated by the RNZAF

Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571, operated by the RNZAF

Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571, operated by the RNZAF

Fog!

Today has mostly lovely weather with bright sunshine and clear skies.... except if you're near the airport or the southern parts of Wellington where we are being enveloped in lovely, cooling, relaxing fog! Clearly I am happier with the temperature in the mid-late teens [celsius] then the mid-late 20's!

It was still all on at Wellington Airport albeit with some delays. As you'll see in some of the photos, there was no fog north of the aerodrome, and with the gentle southerly breeze, this made for easy arrivals.

The first photo is of a Boeing 737-8X2, DQ-FJH, operated by Fiji Airways landing with the very very low cloud in the background.

Boeing 737-8X2, DQ-FLH, operated by Fiji Airways

Next up is a look across the runway to the Eastern Apron. Yep, that fog is pretty much at the top of the building [or not much above].

Wellington Airport terminal

Off the airport and up Mount Victoria, I looked south-east to capture this photo of the northern end of the runway. As you can see, the runway [or at least the start of it] is quite visible, and as the last photo will show, north of here is no fog at all! Sneaking into view of an Airbus A320-232, VH-VGD, operated by Jetstar Airways. This aircraft was about to depart to Gold Coast, Australia, where I'm sure it was brighter, sunnier and warmer!

Wellington airport, runway 16 threshold, Jetstar A320 taxying

Last up is a picture of an unidentified Mount Cook Airline ATR72 on approach... no fog just all sunshine!

ATR-GIE ATR72, operated by Mount Cook Airline/ Air NZ

Low cloud, high humidity

So much for a plan to go flying today. The day dawned and finished with low cloud and high humidity - clearly not conducive to VFR flying...

One arrival to emerge from the gloom was the General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIE, which is operated by Air Chathams. This parked up on the Eastern Apron.

General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIE, operated by Air Chathams

General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIE, operated by Air Chathams

The cloud was so low that at one stage a Jetstar operated Airbus A320-232, VH-VFF emerged from cloud just as they started their overshoot... talk about timing! It looked good, but unfortunate;lyt he camera was not ready. Oh well, they made it on the second attempt.

Airbus A320-232, VH-VFF, operated by Jetstar Airways

Last up is a British Aerospace Jetstaream J32, ZK-LFW, operated by Air Freight on behalf of Lifeflight Wellington.

British Aerospace Jetstream J32, ZK-LFW, operated by Air Freight on behalf of Life Flight

Bizjets at Wellington

Last Sunday I got my first glimpse of another Cessna 510 Citation Mustang out and about at Wellington. ZK-JAK is registered to Air Hawkes Bay Ltd and has been on the NZ register since last February. What i saw was a rather short flight - time to taxi out, takeoff and return what seemed like 15 or so minutes later.

Cessna 510 Citation Mustang, ZK-JAK, operated by Air Hawkes Bay Ltd

Another bizjet out and about was the locally based Cessna 650 Citation, N163JM which I saw arriving later on Sunday afternoon.

Cessna 650 Citation, N163JM,

Air Chathams Convair

It has been a while, but Saturday saw an Air Chathams General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIF parked up outside the Aero Club. I'm not sure how long it had been there [probably not more than a few hours] but it departed that afternoon with a planeload of punters, so I'm guessing on a charter flight somewhere.

I still haven't had a look though one of these [apart from one in a Finnish museum a couple of years ago].... must organise that one day. In any case, it's good to see these old birds still flying around [Air Chathams also operated a DC3]!

General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIF, operated by Air Chathams

General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-CIF, operated by Air Chathams

RNZAF B757 off overseas?

Last Saturday afternoon saw the arrival and departure of an RNZAF-operated Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7171. While I have no idea where it was heading to, I last saw it on Flightradar24 heading well north of Auckland and clearly not stopping...

Anyway, here are a couple of photos of it at Wellington.

Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571, operated by the RNZAF

Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7571, operated by the RNZAF

Circuits today!

I had some fun circuits today. The wind direction was about 140-150 degrees magnetic [runway was 16] and 20 knots gusting up to 30 knots. The air was a bit lumpy, visibility was down around 15 kms and the airspace started to get busy with a mixture of arrivals and departures of light to medium sized aircraft.

Aircraft for the day was Cessna 172S, ZK-CEO. Fun times and a good day to get some crosswind circuits in, along with a couple of overshoots. Fun times indeed!

Anyway, here are a couple of photos from Chief Photographer Brown :-), passenger on this trip [thanks for the photos mate!].

First up is a picture as we turned left base for runway 16. The main point of this is to rry and show some of the haze all around...

Hazy day as we turned onto left-base for runway 16

Second up is the eastern terminal as we made an "early" [but still above 1000' AGL] turn into the circuit, as instructed by ATC,

Wellington airport terminal

Amazing Lancair IV at Wellington!

I went to the Aero Club today and discovered that we had a US-registered Lancair IV, N6ZQ, parked up in the back on the hanger! Very very nice!

Getting closer I noticed a number of stickers on both sides of the nose... I'll leave you to look at these, but let's just say "that's amazing" and "long time between toilet breaks" [yeah, I know]!

Lancair IV, N6ZQ

Lancair IV, N6ZQ

WOW!

More WOW!

Welcome, rain.

OK, we needed some rain, although to say "welcome" is perhaps a wee bit over the top...

Yesterday [3rd January] was a little breezy but mostly very wet with low cloud, as the following pictures should demonstrate. Even the final picture, where it has cleared up somewhat is still wet. A few hours later it was windier and wetter again :-(

Two Air NZ operated Airbus A320's

Airbus A320-232, ZK-OXD, operated by Air NZ

Airbus A320-232, ZK-OXH, operated by Air NZ

It might be the angle, but this Jetstar A320 reverse thrust appears to be throwing up a lot of water :-)

Airbus A320-232, VH-VFF, operated by Jetstar Airways

Nice big rooster tail on this one :-)

Airbus A320-232, ZK-OJB, operated by Air NZ

Golden Bay Air's Piper PA34-220T about to depart with reduced length, from taxiway A4

Piper PA34-220T, ZK-ZAG, operated by Golden Bay Air

Later this afternoon and it's not raining as hard, but there's still plenty of water around...

Boeing 737-8FE, VH-YIV, operated by Virgin Australia Airlines

Alliance Fokker F50

It looks like the first Tauck Tours visit to Wellington for 2016 is underway with the visit of the Alliance Airlines-operated Fokker F27 Mk 50, VH-FKO.

Clearly the weather has also turned to rubbish again [although only for a few days] with rain pouring down, although there's little wind and it's still quite warm, so high humidity. Urrggghhhh. Anyway, here are the photos.

Fokker F27 Mk 50, VH-FKO, operated by Alliance Airlines

Fokker F27 Mk 50, VH-FKO, operated by Alliance Airlines

New Year's Day treat... Bob Hoover!

Here's a New Year's Day treat for those who have not seen it yet - aviation legend Bob Hoover, aged 93, gets to do aeros in a Sabreliner! Words can not describe how cool this looks!

Happy New Year!

This would be the way to finish a year and start a new one... a Fiji Airways trip to Nadi on their Boeing 737-7X2, DQ-FJF... seen here departing Wellington on a bright summer's day to what would likely be an even brighter, more summery day :-)

Boeing 737-7X2, DQ-FJF, operated by Fiji Airways

Boeing 737-7X2, DQ-FJF, operated by Fiji Airways