NZ change BHE-AKL flights

Everyone knows this blog has an affinity with Blenheim New Zealand, NZWB/BHE and here is a post with good news for the Sauvignon Blanc capital of the world

Blenheim businesses are celebrating with Air New Zealand's announcement that the BHE-AKL route will shift to all Dash 8 Q300 aircraft.

Blenheim Shuttle owner Duncan McIntyre, who transports people to and from the airport, said increased passenger numbers would benefit a lot of Marlborough businesses.
"It helps everyone," Mr McIntyre said.
"Everybody wins. Anything that helps Marlborough is great."   

The flights currently operate 4x daily 2 utilising the Q300 and the other two with the staple Beech 1900D.  There are currently 5 flights on Friday's with an additional 1900D service, just 3 on Saturdays and 5 on Sunday's with one operated by Mt Cook with an ATR 72.

From Next week Monday 10-February-2014 the flights shift to all Q300 aircraft with 4 flights daily Sun-Fri & 3 on Sat.  However the 4th flight on Sunday's remains with the 1900D and there are a few changes over Feb to meet increased demand for events in Blenheim.

Read the full Marlborough Express article HERE

Air Nelson Q300 at BHE

Airwork launches on market

Auckland based Airwork has launched an IPO with the aim to list on the NZX by December

Aircraft leasing and maintenance company Airwork has launched an initial public share offer to raise up to $40 million and float on the stock exchange.
The Auckland company is offering up to 15.4 million new shares at $2.60 per share and expects to begin trading on the NZX main board by December 19 if the minimum amount of $30m is raised, according to a prospectus issued yesterday.

Airwork operates an engineering arm, a helicopter arm as well as a fleet of aircraft (F27, B733F, B734F, SWM) flying on behalf of New Zealand Post in NZ and Toll Priority in Australia.

Read more on their float from stuff.co.nz's Business Day HERE

Airwork NZ's Fokker F27 ZK-PAX seen at NZWB ©nzompilot

NZWB/BHE set to grow

Photo from Marlborough Airport website

Blenheim's airport terminal, at Woodbourne (NZWB/BHE) is set to more than double its footprint in expansion plans unveiled yesterday.

It was expected to take six months to complete the work, which would see the passenger area expanded to the south, increasing existing floor space from 92 square metres to 240 square metres.
A mezzanine floor was also being considered to further increase passenger space.   

The current terminal opened in 1995 and passengers numbers have grown to 230 000/yr and are expected to continue to grow, especially with more Air New Zealand flights moving to the Q300 aircraft.  Even if Air New Zealand replace 2x 1900D flights with a single Q300 flight that is still an increase in capacity from 38 to 50 seats.

Marlborough Airport is served by 3 airlines Air New Zealand operating a mix of B1900D & Q300 aircraft to AKL, CHC & WLG, SoundsAir operating C208 Caravan & C208B Grand Caravan Aircraft to WLG and Air2There operating a C208 Caravan between PPQ, BHE & NSN - Air2There codeshare on the SoundsAir BHE-WLG route.

Read more on the terminal expansion via local newspaper The Marlborough Express reporter Cathie Bell HERE

Ridge Air BHE-CHC

Ridge Air is a small 3rd level operator based out of Omaka Aerodrome in Blenheim with a fleet of 2 aircraft - former Vincent Aviation Cessna 402C ZK-VAD, Piper PA-34-220T Senica IV ZK-BJM

Ridge Air also advertise Robinson R44 ZK-HDD but this is owned & operated by Tasman Helicopters & used when required.

I found berried in a business buzz article in the Marlborough Express a report that Ridge Air will start a daily return Blenheim-Christchurch flight targeting business customers.  The flight will depart Blenheim at 7am arriving in Christchurch at 8.10am, witht he return departing Christchurch at 4.30pm arriving in Blenheim at 5.40pm

I do not know whether these flights will operate from Woodbourne or from Omaka, or where they will operate from at Christchurch.

Read more on Ridge Air's fleet at Steve's 3rd Level New Zealand blog HERE or Dave Paull's NZ Civil Aircraft blog HERE

TAIC report into Q300 emergency landing released

©2011 Blair Ensor Marlborough Express/Fairfax Media

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) have released their report into the Emergency landing made by Air Nelson Q300 ZK-NEQ at Woodbourne/Blenheim after diverting from Wellington in February 2011.

TAIC found there was nothing mechanically wrong with the plane.
"The nose landing gear did not extend because the pilots did not pull hard enough on the handle that should have released the uplock," it said.
"If the uplock had released, the nose landing gear would have lowered under gravity and locked down."   

The article reports that while training in the simulator for gear failure it took a much lighter pull than it did in reality to release the landing gear.  Air Nelson have since modified their simulators to match the actual force required, while the TAIC have recommended the director of NZ CAA talk to his counterpart at Transport Canada to discuss the possibility of making  training simulator performance there match real life situations.

Sadly for avgeeks in NZ and also for the pilots involved in this incident, despite this report clearing them personally of wrong doing due to the inadequate training received the headline and first paragraph of this stuff.co.nz article insinuates that this incident was their error.

Read the full stuff.co.nz article HERE

New airstrip with big plans

For those of you who have been with me for the last 4-5 years, you will remember that I started this blog in "the old country" as Marlborough Aviation Notes, well this little article from the Marlborough Express caught my attention today, so in keeping with my origins, I think its only right to post it here.

A group of five aircraft enthusiasts from Marlborough have developed their own airstrip near Blenheim who say it could be used by small commercial operators flying to and from the North Island.
The new Sky Harbour Airfield at Marshlands, near Spring Creek, has been a nine-month "labour of love" for the five friends - including a former commercial pilot, a former airfield owner, an aircraft engineer tutor, a small aircraft builder and someone with a field big enough to land a plane.
The men, aged from their 50s to their 70s, built the airstrip themselves, putting up an electric fence to keep the cows out and flattening the ground for the runway with a 12-tonne roller.
Former US commercial pilot Ron Long said they marked out the 950-metre landing strip with old white car tyres . . . "as everybody does".
All it needed was a wind sock, Mr Long said.
The men wanted their own airstrip, and somewhere to keep their planes, but hoped to develop the site into a fully operational airfield, particularly as a safe place for microlights to operate without the danger of them having to make a forced landing in vineyards in the unlikely event of having an engine failure on takeoff.
There are very few areas left in the Wairau Valley where this is possible, they say. Anthony Chaytor's property, where the airstrip is situated, is ideal, with extended landing areas in both directions. Mr Chaytor has been a microlight enthusiast and has owned many aircraft over the years, and he was keen to see the airstrip on his farm become active again.
The men have been in consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority and the air traffic controllers at Woodbourne.
"We look forward to the airstrip growing," Mr Long said.
"We will try to develop it for aviation-related businesses, like a maintenance facility or paint shop, and ultra-light flight instruction. If small commercial operators, like Sounds Air or air2there wanted to operate out of there, they would be 100 per cent welcome but we haven't talked to them."
The Sky Harbour Airfield could be used by small commercial aircraft in emergency situations or bad weather, Mr Long said.
Eight kilometres from Marlborough Airport and four kilometres from Picton Airport, it was the closest airfield to the North Island, he said.
All people using the strip needed was clearance from Woodbourne air traffic control and a transponder.
The transponder would make an aircraft show up on air traffic control's radar, Mr Long said.
"The field is open for anyone to use and you don't have to call for a reservation," he said. "We think it will be a good asset for the region and an additional airstrip in case of emergencies."
The Sky Harbour Airfield cost only $2000 to develop, with the men sourcing second-hand materials, such as fence posts and fencing, from Blenheim businesses.
There was no charge to land at the runway, although there would likely be a $15 overnight parking fee.
The group was also looking at putting in an access road, Mr Long said.
"It's a beautiful, remote area to fly in and out of with very few obstructions, which makes it nice and safe."   

The article and 7 great pics by Marlborough Express photographer Scott Hammond can be seen HERE