Jetstar B787-8 First Auckland Flight

Jetstar today became the second carrier to fly the Boeing 787-8 into Auckland, and operating the first flight, JQ229 from Melbourne was VH-VKA.

Jetstar will only operate the B787's for a short time into Auckland at this stage operating the type only 3 days a week from Melbourne to Auckland and back.

VH-VKA
Over the fence for Runway 23L for the first time.. 

VK-VKA
Jetstar Boeing 787-8

VH-VKA

VH-VKA

VH-VKA

VH-VKA

Back In Time - The Year 2007

Ok, I was going through some old photos the other day and found these ones. The year was 2007 and the photos are from a family trip to the UK for a month.

I would also like to say I was only starting to learn about digital photography at this stage, and had not really done any aviation photography at all so the results as you can see are not the best, and the camera I used was just a point and shot.

I thought I would share them anyway as someone might find them of interest, so here goes...

Our Ship for NZ2
LAX-LHR
Cant Remember Rego

On Board NZ2 at Gate in LAX
Looking back at were 1st Photo taken from

Airborne out of LAX heading out over the Valley

Seat belt Sign Off !!
Free to Move about while climbing out of the LA Basin

Somewhere in the Valley
I think

San Gabriel Mountains

High Over Canada, sun setting fast.

After a very short period of semi dark flight and a sleep
Morning time now
Cold, Cold, Cold
Greenland and all it's Beauty

On the descent into LHR
The West Coast of he UK

One Month Later
Our Flight back to LAX awaits
NZ1, ZK-NBS at the gate in LHR

ZK-NBS

Awaiting Boarding for NZ1 in the Gate Lounge

British Airways A321
Out the Window on our Taxi Out

The Old British Airways Terminal still in use.
Terminal 5 still being built.

Air France A318
Taxis past us while we are holding.

Late Afternoon Rush Hour.....

Well I must say this is probably the busiest I have seen AKL during the late afternoon rush hour of arrivals and departures on a very warm summers day, and with the sun getting low.
Even though these photos were taken looking directly into the sun, I was surprised how they turn out.

In the first photo there is an amazing 12 aircraft you can clearly see, as follows.

Just landed on 23L is a China Airlines A330, holding short of 23L a Virgin Australia B737-800 ZK-PBJ, taxing on 05L for 23L is a Jetstar A320, followed close behind by an Emirates A380, taxing out in front the the domestic is a couple of B1900's. And parked at the Air New Zealand domestic terminal a collection of A320's and B737's.

A busy afternoon

Jetstar A320 followed by an Emirates A380

After you.....

Emirates A380

Almost a full house at the Terminal.

Gulfstream 550 - N891E

Plenty of Business Jet arrivals and departures in Auckland lately, and seen here arriving on the 11 Feb from Jakarta is this Gulfstream 550, N891E

Gulfstream 550
N891E

N891E

N891E

N891E

N891E

N891E

Emirates Rush Hour....

Well it is the first time I have been on location to catch all three of the Emirates A380 arrivals into Auckland on the same day and all one after another arriving in a space of 25 minutes.

So here are the three arrivals, featuring A6-EDB, A6-EDD and A6-EEK

Ok, I know they all look the same, so decided to show three photos of each arrival but with a different profile or frame for each photo, and to make all nine photos different from the other.

This is what I came up with....

First Arrival...EK406 from Melbourne

A6-EDB
EK406 from Melbourne

A6-EDB
EK406 from Melbourne

A6-EDB
EK406 from Melbourne

Second Arrival...EK412 from Sydney

A6-EDD
EK412 from Sydney

A6-EDD
EK412 from Sydney

A6-EDD
EK412 from Sydney

Third Arrival...EK434 from Brisbane

A6-EEK
EK434 from Brisbane

A6-EEK
EK434 from Brisbane

A6-EEK
EK434 from Brisbane

Another Rare Visitor - VQ-BKK A319

A rare visitor this time and also the first time I have photographed this Airbus type variant an A319 in Auckland. Seen here arriving on the 6th February from Sydney is VQ-BKK.

VQ-BKK
TAG Aviation Asia

VQ-BKK

VQ-BKK

VQ-BKK

VQ-BKK

VQ-BKK

Almost Missed It........

Well another one from above my house, and if I wasn't outside bringing in the rubbish bin I would have missed it for sure. Pretty rare to see a QF A380 overhead AKL in the cruise.

Anyway, here is QF94, VH-OQG, LAX-MEL passing overhead AKL on the 14 Feb 2014.

VH-OQG
QF94 LAX-MEL Overhead AKL

Gulfstream 5 - N709AA

Another Gulfstream 5 in town the other today, N709AA seen here resting in Auckland before leaving for Melbourne.

N709AA
Gulfstream 5

N709AA