Aviationshotz: July 2014

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Air New Zealand - Farewells ZK-SUH

Air New Zealand has bid a final farewell to B747-400, Boeing Airframe MSN 24896 - ZK-SUH.
This Queen of the Skies has been in service with Air NZ for 20 years and is the second to last of the B744 fleet to leave, leaving behind ZK-NBV as the sole remaining -400.

ZK-SUH Departed on Monday 28th Jul as NZ6024, bound for Los Angeles with a one night stop over before leaving on her final flight to Victorville, CA.

So here are my last shots, ever, on the last day in AKL of my favorite aircraft type of all time.

ZK-SUH

Best Office in the World

ZK-SUH
Monday 28th Jul

ZK-SUH

Can't beat the Width of the B747-400 Cabin

ZK-SUH

ZK-SUH
Last Taxi Out in AKL

ZK-SUH
NZ6024, Mon 28th Jul

ZK-SUH

ZK-SUH
Last Light of Day

And just with that the sun set very quickly, and I lost all that nice light, it would have been great to have the takeoff 10 minutes earlier and then I could have got similar shots to that of above. Oh well.
Well the moment of leaving NZ Soil below.

ZK-SUH
Rotate

ZK-SUH

Farewell ZK-SUH

AND THANK YOU

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Air New Zealand's B787-9, ZK-NZE First Flight From Auckland

Air New Zealand's brand new B787-9 Dreamliner, ZK-NZE took to the skies for the first time on Friday the 25th Jul since arriving in Auckland on the 11th July from Boeing's Paine Field, Seattle.

Todays flights was a training and proving flight from Auckland - Sydney - Auckland operating as
NZ6021 and NZ6022 for the return leg. The flight was carrying cargo only, no passengers, and with almost 22 ton's of cargo loaded in the holds, it lifted off for SYD just after 3pm local AKL time.

Great looking machine !!!!

ZK-NZE

ZK-NZE

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Air New Zealand B767-300ER - ZK-NCJ & ZK-NCG

Late afternoon in winter can be quite spectacular with some great light for taking photos like these., and photos in general. The low sun on the horizon and no heat haze really helps.

So on this occasion, and amazing only about 10 minutes apart were these two arrivals into Auckland.
The first being ZK-NCJ and the second ZK-NCG (last 3 photos).

ZK-NCJ

ZK-NCG

Friday, July 25, 2014

Hawaiian Airlines B767-300 - N582HA

Hawaiian Airlines has some of its maintainance performed in Auckland by Air New Zealand Tech Ops. Was lucky enough to be passing by and see this Hawaiian Airlines B767-300, N582HA out of the hanger and just about to commence an engine run. Also noted was that the winglets were removed.
N582HA first flew in 2001.

N582HA

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Emirates A380 - A6-EEQ Soccer World Cup 2014 Livery

A crisp cloudless day in Auckland and perfect conditions for a few photos.

Emirates A380, A6-EEQ has had a Special Livery, "Pele" applied for the occasion of the Soccer World Cup 2014, which finished in Brazil last week. So I was pretty pleased to be able to get these snaps of this colourful scheme before its removed. Seen here arriving from SYD, flight EK412.

A6-EEQ

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Singapore Airlines B777-300ER, 9V-SWL

At last a nice sunny day in Auckland and a chance for a few photos.

Singapore Airlines SQ286, 9V-SWL taxing out in Auckland for take on Runway 23L.

9V-SWL

Friday, July 11, 2014

Air New Zealand B787-9, ZK-NZE - Delivered......

FRIDAY, 11TH JULY 2014, 4:22PM

This date and time marks a very special spot in Aviation History, with the first to be delivered in the world, B787-9 Dreamliner to launch customer Air New Zealand, touching down on Runway 05R in Auckland.

NZ6789, ZK-NZE departed Seattle early this morning NZ time on its 13.5 hr delivery flight from Boeing's Paine Field, with invited guests, media, and some Boeing staff on board, which would truly have been a memorable experience.

This is one state of the art aircraft and is going to be a game changer for Air New Zealand, which was ordered back in August 2004 by then CEO Ralph Norris. With a total of 10, B787-9's on order with delivery to be completed by 2017, I'm looking forward already to the arrival of the next one in the new livery.

So to the photos, well the weather wasn't the best, and it was rather dark, please excuse the rain and quality of these, my first photos ever of a B787-9. I'm glad the honor goes to ZK-NZE.