Archive for August, 2009

Well met

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Two posts in one day? Yes! Normally, I would just combine multiple sessions in one post, but this one is something just a little different.

I’m an avid follower of Rodney’s Aviation Ramblings – a blog run by Wellington Aero Club member Rodney Maas. Rodney follows this blog too and as we inhabit the same stamping ground it was inevitable that we end up covering similar subjects and complementing each other’s knowledge through blog comments.

When Rodney recently requested recommendations for a new camera, I confess I sent him a small book on my Pentax gear and general lessons I have learned. I offered to meet up with him some time to let him have a play with my camera. Well, long story short, we managed to meet today at the Aero Club.

Rodney gave me a tour of the club rooms (some great viewing to be had from there!) and then took me across the apron to their hangar. Now, I have been through these places before but only when crammed full of people for one of the regular open days. To be allowed through on a quiet day like today was a nice privilege.

Of course I took the opportunity to take a few photos. Local Nanchang ZK-JNA was sitting in the rather dark hangar. My flash shots weren’t coming out very well so I held my breath and did a 1/3″ exposure. It actually over exposed because I still had +1.0ev for outside set on the camera! I’m amazed it’s sharp!

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Then Rodney assisted a Capital Air pilot in getting Cessna 172 ZK-FLT out of the hangar, presumably in preparation for a flight.

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So thanks Rodney for the hospitality on my short visit. There are a few other photos on the stream.

Angles

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

I popped out to NZWN again last weekend with an intent to use some different spots than normal for my photography. I started in my well worn spot by the Aero Club where I saw Life Flight Trust Metroliner ZK-NSS depart…

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…before moving to a new loitering spot by the Wellington Flight Centre – subject to being asked to move away for a bit while fuel checks were done on the underground tanks.

This is a good spot to watch Vincent Aviation action. Beechcraft 1900C ZK-VAE was outside one of the hangars and then pushed in.

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I had heard a Vincent flight on the radio which turned out to be the trusty DHC-8, ZK-VAC. He did an overflight (could have been a missed approach, but I wasn’t listening to the radio at the time)…

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…before a circuit and landing. I noticed in one of my photos there is severe cracking in the ‘VINCENT AVIATION’ titles on the tail.

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I then moved on to spend some time in the official ‘viewing area’ by the Airwork hangar, from where I took this shot of Air New Zealand Airbus A320 ZK-OJI in front of the new International Terminal construction.

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I ended up back in another standard spot, on the sea wall, for the 3pm busy time. I heard one aircraft advised he was number seven in the sequence!

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Yes, it’s Jetstar arriving on time, in the sunshine. Looks like they may have solved their problems as the 14:45 arrival has been there at or before 14:46 the last three times I have been there, including once at 14:30.

More photos on the stream.