Auckland Quick Visit Sep 2010 #9: Boeing 737 - A

Boeing aircraft of various models are very common in New Zealand's skies, although this will be changing over the next couple of years. Air New Zealand are retiring/ selling their Boeing 737 fleet [they are acquiring more Airbus A320's to cover the domestic main trunk], and with Pacific Blue retreating from the domestic scene to concentrate on the trans-Tasman routes.

In this first of two B737 posts, we have a number of Air New Zealand [B737-300], Qantas [B737-400] and Pacific Blue [B737-800] Boeings.

Awesome weather, and planes!

What is it with the Wellington weather? After a miserable start to the year, the sunshine has been out for the past few days, and it has been good!

Yesterday evening I was out and about with some friends... and just happened to be overlooking the airfield for much of this time. :-)

Here are a few photos from that evening. The first is a view of the airport itself. The second is an Air Nelson/ Air New Zealand de Havilland Canada DHC-8, ZK-NEG just after takeoff. Likewise for the third shot, Air New Zealand Boeing 737, ZK-SJE.

The final picture is of a Mount Cook/ Air New Zealand Aerospatiale ATR72 [registration unknown] silhouetted against the sky.

Various other pictures

Here's a few odds and sods that I took during the day. Nothing to spectacular but still interesting.

Top to bottom the pictures are:

Air New Zealand B737, taken from the Club's bar [best views of the airport on the airport!]

Combo shot of RNZAF B200, Lifeflight Metroliner SA227 and Vincent Aviation Beech 1900D [also from the Club's bar]

WAC's Mooney M20C and a Beech 58 [also from the bar... no I wasn't drinking!]

Air West Coast PA31-350

Beechcraft Duchess BE76 on it's way out

As promised, the B737 pictures...

As promised, here are the pictures of the Air New Zealand [www.airnewzealand.co.nz] B737 that came to Wellington Aero Club's Open Day recently... If the last picture looks a bit odd, it's actually where the right-main undercarriage retracts into...

In case you're wondering, yes many of us did get to sit in the comfy seats up the front! Awesome! Needless to say, it was one of the highlights of the event, and there where long lines of people the entire time it was there.

In order, the pictures are:

Being pushed into position,
Outside front,
Cockpit,
From rear looking up the isle,
Outside, on the rear exit stairs looking forward,
The Tail,
Undercarriage retraction hub

[remember to click on the image for a larger view]

A few more teaser pics...

OK, I can't resist it!

Here's a few more pictures from the open day... you'll have to wait for the rest though! As you can see from this sampler, there was wide support for this event from many of the operators either based at, or using Wellington International Airport.

Top to bottom are:

Air New Zealand B737
Lifeflight Metroliner SA227
Capital Air Piper Saratoga
Wellington Aero Club Mooney M20C
Wellington Airport Fire Engine
Vincent Aviation Beech B1900D
Helipro Jetranger II

Many more B737 pictures from the open day coming soon!

Enjoy!