Airbus ZK-OJR withdrawn

 The Airbus A320-232 c/n 4884 first flew as F-WWIP on 14-10-2011 and became ZK-OJR for Air New Zealand on 10-11-2011. 

It was the third A320 for dedicated NZ domestic use and the second to wear the All Blacks "Crazy About Rugby" livery. (After ZK-OAB).
It ferried from Toulouse in France through Gander, Denver, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Apia, reaching Auckland on 13-11-2011.
Its first revenue earning flight was Auckland to Wellington on 20-11-2011.

Above in its All Black scheme at Christchurch on 21-03-2012.

At Christchurch on 27-03-2018.

It was withdrawn from airline service at the end of October and had been noted in the above scheme for some days. This photo from Tony dated yesterday 23-10-2026.

Airbus H160B ZK-IVL

An interesting visitor to Pauanui airfield this morning was Advanced Flight's Airbus H160B ZK-IVL. This was registered here in March 2026 after importation from Australia where it was used as the Airbus Helicopters demonstrator.

 

Some more Christchurch movements.

The Antarctic season is well underway.

The Aeronautica Militare Italiana Lockheed C130J MM62191 coded 46-57 with the c/n 382-5531, arrived into Christchurch International via Pago Pago on the 18th.

It headed south on the 23rd but boomeranged at about 53 degrees south (About abeam Campbell Island).

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Also arriving on the 18th was the FAA's Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 605 N90 c/n 5817 for the annual calibration of navigational aids Antarctica.

Built as C-FZLM at Bombardier Aerospace in Canada in September of 2009.

Transferred to Bombardier USA as N605JK from February 2010 and then to N90 for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mosquito ZK-WEL/TE881 Update from Fly a Spitfire

I have recently been in contact with Fly a Spitfire about their Mosquito which is getting closer to flight at Ardmore. They asked if I could hold off posting any more details as they were about to release a statement on it.  Overnight they released the following on Facebook:

And so here is a photo of ZK-WEL2/TE881 showing its colour scheme and markings taken at Ardmore on 9 October:  

It is interesting that Fly a Spitfire use the wording "The future of the Mosquito will be determined following her first flight in the coming weeks" in their Facebook post - whatever that means.  I guess continue watching this space!

Thanks again for the photo Wayne.

Pauanui Labour Weekend arrivals

Pilots with holiday homes at Pauanui have started to fly in on Friday afternoon and evening and amongst them so far was the Glasair Sportsman 2+2 ZK-EBG 4.   This was originally registered as ZK-SPO back in September 2006 but upon sale to its new Marton owner in July 2026 it was reregistered with his initials as EBG.

Another holiday home arrival was the Bell  429 ZK-HXW 6 which carries Advanced Flight titling.  This was originally imported from the US back in Augsut 2014.

Mosquito ZK-WEL/TE881 Out for Engine Runs at Ardmore

The fifth DH 98 Mosquito to be completed by Avspecs, ZK-WEL2 (c/n TE881), was wheeled outside on 9 October for engine runs and AgairNZ was there to photograph it:

ZK-WEL2 is a FB Mk VI model and it was registered to Avspecs on 29/4/25.  This Mosquito is destined for Fly a Spitfire at Biggin Hill in England and its history is detailed on their website HERE.  I understand that it will be used for warbird experience flights by Fly a Spitfire alongside their fleet of two 2 seat Spitfires and a Mustang.  I had expected Fly a Spitfire to have announced the good news so I will just post these two photos for now.

Both engines were successfully run during the test on 9 October.  It has since undergone more finishing work and will soon be out for more engine runs.

Thanks for the photos Wayne.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Re Fledge One ZK-FEE

I have already posted on this microlight as a cousin of the Pterodactyl Fledgelings registered in New Zealand, but I will include it here for completeness as it was the next type of microlight to be registered, on 16 Nov 1982.  It was another use of the ubiquitous Fledge wing that the previous type of microlight (the also one off Liechtflugzeugbau GmbH Firebird M1 ZK-FEB) also used:

The Re Fledge One was a Fledge wing that M S Reid of Matamata mated with a tri-gear cage and it was powered with a 250 cc Robin engine.  It was registered ZK-FEE (c/n MAANZ/131) to M S Reid on 16 Nov 1982.  As a result of the above For Sale advertisement it was sold to a new owner at Opotiki in 1986.  But he didn't have much success with the microlight as he inadvertently took off on his first flight on 18 May 1986 near Opotiki, and then followed a series of climbs, stalls and dives until the engine cut out and it crashed nose first into the ground.  It was cancelled on 21 May 1998.     

Christchurch arrivals on the 20th.

 Two Christchurch arrivals on Tuesday from Tony McFarlin.

The ASL Airlines Boeing 737-86N VH-AZ4 c/n 32686 arriving in from Auckland.
A 2007 product first registered as N1781B followed by B-5317, N3268, 2-OTHV, OE-HRB and recently to VH-AZ4 on 14-09-2026.

Also out of the blue came the Dassault Falcon 8X N227KG c/n 511 of Salairus Aviation.

This was initially registered as F-WWZR in April of 2024.

Two from Wellington

 Allister Jenks captured the MBB-BK117 B-2 ZK-HMR5 c/n 7173 at Queens Wharf, Wellington yesterday the 21st. 

This is a 1988 model which was first registered in NZ on 03-08-2015. It joined GCH Aviation in December of 2019.

Over at Wellington International we see the Capital Aviation's Robin R2160 ZK-TZF c/n 360 on final for runway 16 on Sunday the 18th.

First registered in mid 2001 it has had at least fourteen operators to date - with it Joining Capital Aviation in March this year.

Rangiora Tuesday the 21st.

 An unusual visitor to Rangiora today was the Stemme S10-VT motor glider ZK-GDM2 c/n 11-079.
This was first noted with the German motor glider registration of D-KTSA before heading to Mexico to become XB-IEE in about May of 2003. 

It next popped up in the USA as N520EN in May of 2015 with a re-registration to N414WL in August of 2017.
This was cancelled mid-November 2023 for it to become ZK-GDM2 for David Crail of Blenheim on 30-11-2023.

   David has previously operated the Rolladen-Schneider LS4  ZK-GNJ from 1991, the  Stemme S10 ZK-GDC2 from 1998 and the Stemme S10V ZK-GSI from 2015.

Finally, a reasonable photo of the privately owned ICP Savannah S ZK-RKI c/n 18-08-54-0633.

It got a brief mention earlier HERE

An aircraft not seen very oft is the Aeroandina MXP-150 Kimbaya ZK-RTZ c/n AA-02-14-15-056 as listed to a reasonably local private owner.

It has had several brief mentions previously HERE