Business jets at Wellington

Following on from yesterday's post, once the weather had cleared and I had my flight, I went and grabbed a couple of pictures of the business jets parked up on the Western Apron at Wellington, outside the Execujet hanger.

I'm late to the party on this, but and with the closure of the small "extension" on Coutts St, it's a bit harder to get the photos I would have preferred. Such is life.

Anyway, here are three of the aircraft that were parked up. These are all Gulfstream aircraft - one G650ER and two G550's.

Gulfstream G650ER, N109CH

Gulfstream G550, N319FS

Gulfstream G550, N97FT

Gulfstream G650 at Wellington

Saturday's interesting departure was a Gulfstream G650, N650FX, which is operated by Flexjet. I say interesting, as we don't have that many visiting bizjets at Wellington and even less foreign bizjets during the Covid19 restrictions.

Gulfstream G650, N650FX, operated by Flexjet

Gulfstream G650, N650FX, operated by Flexjet

Gulfstream G650, N650FX, operated by Flexjet

Gulfstream Aerospace G650ER

This Gulfstream Aerospace G650ER, A7-CGD, was parked up at Wellington on Saturday, having arrived a day or so earlier. This aircraft is operated by Qatar Amiri Flight [according to their website] is a "private VVIP airline [which] operates exclusively for the Royal Family and high ranked government staff of the State of Qatar".

No idea what it is doing here considering the current Covid19 restrictions, but a guess would be to repatriate some Qatari citizens - that is of course only a guess.

Gulfstream Aerospace G650ER, A7-CGD, operated by Qatar Amiri Flight

Also looks like it has been a bit windy here recently... 😂

Gulfstream G650 at Wellington

A couple of weeks ago [I'm in catch up mode!], this really nice Austrian registered Gulfstream G650, OE-LTF, was parked up at Wellington. The aircraft is operated by a company called Avcon Jet.

Gulfstream G650, OE-LTF, operated by Avcon Jet

Also at Wellington, but this time departing, was this Cessna 510 Citation Mustang, ZK-VXM, which is operated by Skyline Aviation. Not a great photo, but it looks great!

Cessna 510 Citation Mustang, ZK-VXM, operated by Skyline Aviation

Boeing, Beech and a Gulfstream

I really like being away from work for a few days... a pity I need to go back tomorrow, but it's only for one day then a weekend, so that's OK.

Pictures from today's visit to the airport start off with a Fiji Airways' operated Boeing 737-7X2, DQ-FJF. This aircraft has been around for a few years - in fact I first saw it taking off from Wellington wearing the old "Air Pacific" livery back in July 2011.

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

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

Next up is a regular visitor, a Beech C90A, ZK-ZZA. This aircraft is operated by Skyline Aviation of Napier as an Air Ambulance.

Beech C90A, ZK-ZZA, operated by Skyline Aviation

Last up is the Gulfstream GVI, ZK-KFB, which is operated by Execujet New Zealand on behalf of it's rather famous owner... For some reason, I always think of deep-fried chicken when I see this rego... :-)

Gulfstream GVI, ZK-KFB, operated by Execujet New Zealand

Currency, learning and supreme aeronautical coolness!

I went flying today in order to re-attain day currency on the Cessna 172. It was a bit of a weird situation really which goes back to NZ's Civil Aviation Rules [CAR], in particular CAR Part 61.37 (b) & (c).

Basically, CAR Part 61.37 (b) provides the currency requirements to be able to take passengers by day, and CAR Part 61.37 (c) does the same for night flight. Boiled down this means 3 take off and landings in the type of aircraft by day [or night as appropriate] by myself.

As it turns out, at the beginning of the day I could quite legally have taken passengers for a flight at night, but I was unable to do so during the day!

Nuts perhaps, since night flight is harder than day flight, but they are the rules. No great problem I suppose and since there was a crosswind, so I got a series of crosswind takeoffs and landings, with flapless and 'normal' approaches and a practice go-around with full flap... all good practice.

In other news, we had one of Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12/45's, ZK-PLS, in the hanger today, as some of their pilots underwent a type rating ground course. Here are a couple of photos.

Pilatus PC12/45, ZK-PLS, operated by Sounds Air

Pilatus PC12/45, ZK-PLS, operated by Sounds Air

I'll be getting my first ride in one of these fine looking aircraft later this month on the regular Taupo to Wellington route - it should be fun!

Last up is a picture of a Gulkstream GVI, ZK-KFB. While operated by ExecuJet New Zealand, this is Peter Jackson's private jet. Very nice ;-)

Gulfstream GVI, ZK-KFB, operated by ExecuJet New Zealand

Wellington's movements today

After several days of great weather, today was still fine, albeit with a wee bit of cloud around. I wasn't flying, but I was around to see Wellington Aero Club beat out target hours for the month - one of the biggest results in well over a year which is good to see! The hours target for next month will be even higher, so we'll be working hard to beat that also

Commercial aircraft caught in the act of committing aviation are as follows.

Airbus A320-232, VH-VGF, registered to Jetstar

This aircraft had an interesting taxi route this afternoon. It headed south along the taxiway, then turned back onto the apron and eventually back onto the taxiway, this time headed north to the runway holding point. Almost as though the crew taxied the wrong way...?

Another photo of Airbus A320-232, VH-VGF, registered to Jetstar

Boeing 737-319, ZK-NGG, registered to Air New Zealand

Gulfstream GVI, ZK-KFB, registered to ExecuJet New Zealand, but better known as film producer Peter Jackson's personal plane!

Gulfstream GVI, ZK-KFB, registered to ExecuJet New Zealand

Another windy day... hopefully better tomorrow

It has been another windy day in Wellington with up to 50 knot gusts at times, so no light aircraft flying today... I am booked in for a flight tomorrow, so we'll see what that is like.

Photos today are just three. First up is a Gulfstream G650, ZK-KFB, which is registered to ExecuJet, but is better known as Peter Jackson's plane.

Next up is a Sounds Air Cessna 208, ZK-PDM and last is an Air Nelson/ Air NZ Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NEG. Both of these are departing into the strong, gusty winds.

Destination found today....

After yesterday's two attempted departures on a Medivac flight, the Canadair CL600, N404HG, remains hangered at Execujet's Wellington hanger today. It was out for a brief time, but this may have just been to make way for the Gulfstream G650, ZK-KFB, which departed around lunchtime today. This flight appears to be a replacement for yesterday's failed attempts. As ZK-KFB was departing, N404HJG was being tucked away in the back.

My photos of ZK-KFB were not great, but here's one that I have tried to polish up a little...

Peter Jackson's Gulfstream G650 and my flying...

... no, not me flying in the G650 :-)

Today's picture is my first of Peter Jackson's new Gulfstream G650, and the latest aircraft to carry the ZK-KFB registration marks. The aircraft is registered to Execujet and is based at Execujet's Wellington facility. The photo's not the greatest, but I'm sure I'll get better in the near future.

In other news, I went flying today in the aero club's Piper PA28-161, ZK-MBG. Today was just a chance for some dual [ie: with an instructor] practice at the manoeuvres I'll need to demonstrate for my BFR [Biennial Flight Review] which is due next month. Manoeuvres included turns, stalls, a forced landing, low flying and some circuits. Awesome fun!