Something you don't see everyday...

Well in Auckland anyway. Qantas don't operate the A380 to Auckland, but back on the 10/10/08

QF sent their first A380 to AKL for the day on a promotional tour to show off their new toy.

Managed to get these shots for departure back to Sydney.

The Airline of the Year still in front.

Size Does Matter.

Papeete B777 Trip

Here are some photos back from 2008, that I took on a day trip to Papeete. Today's flight to PPT was operated by an Air New Zealand B777-200. Air NZ normally does not operate the B777 to PPT, as the B767-300 usually services this route.

The distance for today's flight from AKL-PPT is 2544 miles, with a flight time of 4hours 10minutes.



Taxing down RWY 23R with ZK-OKH, NZ99 to Narita in front of us



Waiting behind ZK-OKH with an A320 about to Land

ZK-OKH  Cleared for Takeoff RWY 05R

4 Hours Later over the fence at PPT for RWY 04

Papeete based Air Tahiti, operates regional flights to the outer Islands of French Polynesia and also operates to Rarotonga. Distance from Papeete - Rarotonga is 711 Miles.

Air Tahiti F-OIQU ATR-72 on the Ramp at PPT

Air Tahiti ATR-72

NZ1 Arrives AKL

 Back in the days when the Auckland-London-Auckland route used to be operated by the B747-400.

Flight NZ1, ZK-NBU Arriving at Gate 3 from Los Angeles, but running about 40 minutes late today.

ZK-NBU

Whenuapai Airshow 2009

Some old photo's taken at the Whenuapai Airshow 2009. Three Warbirds in Action

P-51D Mustang ZK-TAF

De Havilland (Emmen) Vampire

Goodyear FG-1D Corsair ZK-COR

B747-400's Arriving Auckland

The weather was nice and clear. Korean Airlines have added extra B747-400 flights to Auckland for the holiday period.

Nadi Trip

Last week I managed to experience Air New Zealand's B777-300ER service from Auckland to Nadi, Fiji onboard NZ56. This aircraft does not normally operate to the Pacific Islands, so was pretty happy to get to travel on ZK-OKP on the 2hour 35min flight to Nadi. Buisness Class was excellent, good food and fine service.

NZ56 ZK-OKP parked at Gate 3 in AKL

Arrived in Nadi, Hot at 34 Degrees

Head on at gate in Nadi

Head on !!!

LAX - Los Angeles Airport

These photos were taken on the south side of LAX in July this year while on a visit to Los Angeles.
Imperial Hill is a great place for viewing arrivals and departures on runways 25L/R at LAX.

 Emirates B777-200LR Departs Runway 25R, Note the engine airflow intake due high humidity

 LAX Control Tower caught in the background.

 Winglets on an American Airlines B757-200

 Aerologic B777-200 Freighter Departs 25R

Wellington Airport

On a recent visit to Wellington I manged to get these photos of various carriers and aircraft from different locations around Wellington Airport. The weather was sunny and clear with a slight southerly wind.