As a result of one of my many trips to our preferred bike shop, I took the chance to pop out to Wellington Airport where nothing much was going on. But I was lucky enough to catch the departure of this Walker Air operated Bombardier Global Express XRS, VH-LAW, which is less than a year old.

In addition to recently trialling some new software to assist my blogging (which I have now purchased and am using right now), this photo, along with three others, are the first to be processed using Apple’s Aperture 3 software. It’s a trial version at this stage, but so far it is looking good. Although I have been considering this for a while, the major prompt for action was Apple dropping the price by 70% in conjunction with the launch of their new Mac App Store. In my books, $105 is a lot more palatable than $384!

Anyway, as usual, check out the other photos (4 in total) from today on the photostream or in the Wellington Airport set.

Just like last year’s selection, I have collected my favourite shots taken in 2010 into a new set on Flickr.

The selection this year numbers only 12. Being a non-air show year there aren’t so many to choose from. Next will see air show action in Masterton and, hopefully, Omaka.

Here are just two of the selection. For the rest, visit the photo set.

For the first time in ages I spent some time out at Wellington Airport today.  A light wind and plenty of sun make for an enjoyable time, although perhaps not for the pilots.

While nothing particularly exciting was seen, a good selection of aircraft were around and in addition to merely capturing the aircraft from traditional angles, I tried for some more unusual angles and crops. First up, a pair of Wellington Aero Club aircraft.

While not such an unusual angle, this Robinson R44 is in a very suburban context.

Some of the more interesting types present were this pair of air ambulance aircraft…

…and a promotionally painted Jetstar A320. Apologies for the heat haze – I was not prepared for this aircraft when it arrived.

Finally, a shot which I think conveys “departure” very simply.

There are more photos on the photo stream.

I’m trialling some new software which will allow me to blog a little more easily. Thinking about it, it is a departure from my usual direction of trying to rely on nothing other than the browser when it comes to web publishing.

Anyway, it gives me some useful tools and offline working so I’m not reliant on my often-slow broadband connection staying stable. An initial test to my personal blog showed great promise.

The real test here is how easy is it to incorporate a Flickr photo, as almost all of the posts on this blog do.

This is a Chinese Gulfstream V registration B-8108. Not a terribly common nationality for Wellington, although the aircraft type is quite common.

Opened on October 27th, Wellington International Airport‘s new international terminal, ‘The Rock’, held a public open morning today, November 21st. The organisers had promised a handful of aircraft including a Spitfire and a Tiger Moth. Unfortunately, this Sunday morning was the worst weather we’ve seen for a while and has already cleared by late afternoon. Talk about bad timing!

But still I went and had a look around, inside and out. Although officially dubbed ‘The Rock’ by the airport company, locals have been referring to the terminal as ‘The Pumpkins’. You can probably see why.

Inside the space is quite striking and I do love the extensive wood finish. However, I cannot get over how small it is!

That is most of the terminal you can see in this shot!

There were plenty of staff on hand and there appeared to be various displays of information and even a chance to win some travel – all things I avoided. Harder to avoid was the, rather appropriately sized, ‘band’.

One major plus was the opportunity to stand out on the tarmac with nothing between me and the runway. Regular operations continued and appeared to be one of the biggest draw cards for many of the visitors.

There are a few more photos on the photostream, or in the Wellington Airport set.

Not only as listed by Lonely Planet, but also as evidenced by a swathe of interesting visitors to Wellington International Airport recently. In addition to the Chilean P-3 previously blogged, I have captured…

RAF C-130J ZH872.

Air National’s Auckland-based BAe 146, ZK-ECO.

US registered Canadair Challenger CL-600 N696HS

And last, but definitely not least, USAF Boeing VC32A (757-200) 99-0003, sporting some winglets for added appeal (oh, OK, and perhaps some fuel savings).

Oh, yeah, there was someone quite famous who brought that plane here. US President, err, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Now that we are friends again, please bring your coolest planes to our wonderful land to visit. Of course, no nukes please.

It’s the middle of school holidays and the weather has turned on a stunner. If we ignore the blustery wind for a moment, we have a gorgeous blue day and more to come. As I was in town today I decided it was a must to get out to the airport. I had barely been there a couple of minutes when I saw a smoky trail on the RWY34 approach. Convair? Nope, 4 trails! P-3? Almost certainly. But the real bonus was that it was a foreign example.

Herewith three pictures of a Chilean Navy P-3.

Moments after touchdown.

Crossing the runway – he needed a “follow me” vehicle.

And finally, shut down outside the Airwork hangar.

Perhaps a slightly over done title, but I recently took a trip up to Rotorua and amongst the 674 photos I took over 5 days are a few aircraft.

First up, we took a break from driving north at Taupo Airport where we spotted this rather strikingly coloured PAC 750XL.

Out at the Lake Rotorua lakefront were to be found a pair of hard-working floatplanes. A Cessna U206G…

…and this unique (to New Zealand) De Havilland DHC-3 Otter.

Over at Rotorua Airport, on the other side of the lake, can be found a variety of GA aircraft such as this Eurocopter AS350 B3 Squirrel.

Aside from quite a number of ATR-72, DHC-8 and the occasional B1900D, the most impressive arrival had to be this Air New Zealand Airbus A320, which arrived from and departed to Sydney.

There are a few more shots of these and other aircraft on the photostream but they will be well spread out so you can find them in the Aviation (Other) set or, if you’re into scenery, check out the whole Rotorua set.

Well it has been just over three months since I last posted! I blame the weather that Rodney keeps complaining about.

A total of 17 photos have been added to the photostream. Here are just a sampling of those.

This is a sight that will gradually become less and less common as, over the next 6 years, Air New Zealand phases out their Boeing 737-300 fleet in favour of new-buy Airbus A320s. Pictured is one of the newest 737-300 airframes in the world, ZK-NGH. The only two newer are ZK-NGI and ZK-NGJ.

A type set to become slightly more common is the 737-800 which has been the sole type in the Pacific Blue fleet and will begin replacing 737-400 aircraft in the local Qantas fleet. Pictured is ZK-PBL heading into the sun on a late morning departure from Wellington’s RWY34.

Air2There seem to be thriving in the local market. Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-MYH – “Mike Yankee Hotel” – can often be seen in and out of NZWN and also scooting along at 1500ft between NZWN and home base, NZPP.

Staying on the small side, but back to full jet power is NZWN-based Cessna Mustang ZK-MUS.

I took a couple of days off because my weekend was going to be shot. I took the opportunity on Friday morning to spend a couple of hours out at the airport. I didn’t see anything exciting, though I heard NZ1884 and ZK-KGB on the radio.

Some nice clear blue Wellington sky and sun gave some beautiful pics of some of the regulars like Sounds Air Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-PDM…

…Air New Zealand (formerly Freedom Air) Boeing 737-300 ZK-SJE…

…and Mount Cook Airline ATR-72 500 ZK-MCB.

Ever so slightly more exciting was Skyline Aviation Cessna 421 ZK-MFT.

This final photo illustrates (as best as I could) a new feature of the Air Nelson (Air New Zealand Link) DHC-8 Q300 aircraft such as ZK-NEB seen here. The landing lights pulse in an alternating pattern during approach. I thought I was seeing things at first but confirmed it through my camera lens. In the photo you can see that the port light is brighter than the starboard one. The lights never extinguish in this process. They go from a “park light” brightness, still visible to the unaided eye, to a “full beam” brightness.

Click on the photo to go to the Flickr page and then click “All sizes” to see it larger.

There are some more photos on the stream or in the Wellington Airport set.