Cathay Pacific's A350-900 Arrives In Auckland

Yesterday the 28th October 2016, saw Aviation History made again in Auckland, with the arrival of the first ever Commercial Passenger A350-900 flight touch down in Auckland.

Cathay Pacific has the honour of becoming the first Airline to operate the new state of the art Airbus A350 into New Zealand.

B-LRC had the honour also of being the first Cathay A350, touching down just before 1:00 pm local time in Auckland.

Great to see finally the A350 in service to New Zealand.

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

B-LRC

Farewell Cathay Pacific's A340-300's

Well yesterday the 27th October 2016, saw the end of Cathay Pacific's A340-300 services to Auckland, after many years of operating down under on the Hong Kong - Auckland - Hong Kong route. Cathay have operated in the past B747-200's, B747-400's and now the A340-300 will enter the history books in Cathay's Auckland services. B-HXG wearing the One World Livery had the honour of flying the last CX197/198 A340 flight yesterday.

Cathay will now start to operate the Airbus A350, also giving them the honour of being the first airline to operate the A350 into Auckland.

So Auckland will now only have one sole A340 operator, which is Air Tahiti Nui, until they introduce  their new B787-9's into service.

So some last photos of the last Cathay A340 flight into Auckland yesterday by B-HXG

B-HXG

B-HXG

B-HXG

B-HXG

And some last photos also of B-HXH that I got sometime during late summer earlier on in the year.

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

B-HXH

Air New Zealand All Black New Livery B777-300ER

Some new photos of Air New Zealand's, ZK-OKQ, wearing the new and revised All Black livery wearing the new and standard Silver Fern design. ZK-OKQ is always great to get shots of and is always very photogenic. I've also been waiting to get a descent head on shot of OKQ, as seen in the 4th photo. Bingo.

ZK-OKQ 

ZK-OKQ

ZK-OKQ

ZK-OKQ

ZK-OKQ

ZK-OKQ

Air New Zealand A320, ZK-OXG

I was really happy also to get these photos on a very clear and crisp day this winter with some very nice blue sky background of Air New Zealand's domestic Sharklet A320, ZK-OXG.

ZK-OXG

ZK-OXG

ZK-OXG 

ZK-OXG

Air New Zealand A320, ZK-OXD

At last some decent photos of an A320 in the golden hour during winter. Air New Zealand's domestic  Sharklet A320, ZK-OXD

ZK-OXD

ZK-OXD

ZK-OXD

ZK-OXD

Cessna 310, ZK-DEM

Back at Ardmore Airport, and this is the first time I've been around when this Cessna 310, ZK-DEM has been on the move. ZK-DEM has been used for Aerial Survey work in the past, and I think it still is today.

ZK-DEM 

ZK-DEM

ZK-DEM

ZK-DEM

Air New Zealand Link Q300, ZK-NEA

Some mid winter late afternoon photos with the sun getting low in the sky on a nice but chilly Sunday  of Air New Zealand's (Air Nelson) Q300, ZK-NEA taxing to the gate after arriving on runway 05R.

ZK-NEA

ZK-NEA 

ZK-NEA

Zk-NEA

ZK-NEA

ZK-NEA

ZK-NEA

Matamata Aerodrome

Last weekend I headed south again. On my return trip north again I decided to come back via a different route through Matamata in the Waikato, and a very brief stop at the Matamata Aerodrome, just north of Matamata at Waharoa.

The aerodrome has grass strips, with a few flying clubs and gliding clubs based there. The weather was rather wet and gloomy when I pulled in, but was happy to get some quick photo's of these three aircraft.

Registered to the Middle Earth Flying school, ZK-KOL, ZK-VAT. ZK-MTW

Cessna 172S, ZK-KOL

ZL-KOL

ZK-KOL

Cessna 172R, ZK-VAT

ZK-VAT

ZK-VAT

Tecnam P2006T, ZK-MTW

ZK-MTW