On 29 June, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) released its report to the Transport Minister in relation to its most recent audit of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)—the fourth such audit of the CAA’s certification and surveillance functions for civil aviation operators. The latest audit was carried out to determine whether the CAA had addressed the 10 ...
First GEnx-powered 787 Flies
June was an eventful month for Boeing’s 787 programme. On 16 June, the first 787 fitted with General Electric (GE) GEnx engines (ZA005, the fifth test aircraft) flew for the first time, making a 3-hour 45-minute flight.
The pilots for the flight, Captains Mike Bryan and Mike Carriker, said the aircraft handled exactly as ...
Airways New Zealand recently secured a two-year multi-million dollar deal with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to train 60 Saudi air traffic control (ATC) staff. Last month, the first 30 Saudi Arabian ATC students arrived in Christchurch to begin training. The possibility exists for the contract to be extended in future.
...Exercise Wise Owl, held at Napier from 14–23 June, was the 94th such exercise since the RNZAF’s first Wise Owl in 1969. Originally known as “Red Owl”, the current Wise Owl is primarily designed to teach RNZAF pilot trainees the art of formation flying. In a “normal” year, there are typically two (occasionally three) Wise Owl ...
Wise Owl 94—Wisdom of Experience
Exercise Wise Owl is an important regular training exercise for RNZAF pilot trainees. Rob Neil joined the RNZAF at Napier for the 94th Wise Owl, held this time at Napier.
UK Forces—Going, Going…?
Pacific Wings’ UK correspondent Peter Cooper discusses the unfortunate decline of aviation assets that is ...
By Donald Harward
We were cruising along at 135 indicated. I had “Band on the Run” (the old Paul McCartney/Wings song) stuck in my head and was singing it loudly enough to break through into the intercom occasionally. The big bird—our cargo ship—was close behind. I could feel the steady thump, thump, thump of those big blades beating the ...
