http://virtualairnz.com/rss/vabase.php Sat, 31 Jul 2010 19:08:35 +1200 en-us http://virtualairnz.com/rss/vabase.phphttp://virtualairnz.com/images/logo-200.jpg http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/jean-batten---the-garbo-of-the-skies-1988 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=484 In the 1930s aviatrix Jean Batten broke solo distance flying records and achieved international fame. Directed by her biographer, Ian Mackersey, Garbo of the Skies chronicles Batten's life through archive footage, interviews, narration from her unpublished memoirs and reconstructions of her epic flights. http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/3975794/Aussies-given-tweet-go-ahead Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=483 Aussies will soon be able to "tweet" from their domestic airline seat after the communications watchdog gave the green light for mobiles to be used during flights. The new ruling by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is set to revolutionise airline travel and bring Australia into line with other countries that have enjoyed the technology for some time. After close consultation with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which has raised no technical objections to the new arrangements, airline passengers may soon be able to text, check email and use data during flights http://www.navigraph.com/www/fmsdata.asp Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=482 Current cycle: 1008 (Effective from 29JUL10) AIRAC 1008 cycle - includes navaids, airports, airways and partly terminal procedures http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/07/wave-goodbye-to-pacific-wave.html Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=481 Disappearing from the Air New Zealand national fleet is the Pacific wave. All the Airbus 320s have lost the Pacific Wave. ZK-SJE, taken in Auckland yesterday, still wears its Pacific wave. I am not sure whether SJB still has its Pacific wave, but the rest of the 737 fleet has lost its... I can't say I'm sorry, I never liked it! One wonders if we get a new colour scheme with the new 777-300s. http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/news/more-flights-but-only-if-bay-loyal/3917940/ Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=480 More flights may be coming into Hawke's Bay starting from October an Air New Zealand spokesman says, but that won't guarantee cheaper flights. Jet liners were not likely to fill our skies either (said Bruce Parton) as the cost of running them would mean fewer flights in and out of Hawke's Bay Airport. http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/3965798/New-hangar-helps-local-economy-fly Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=479 Air Nelson's $12 million hangar is a silver lining in the gloomy economic cloud hanging over the region. The development has already landed the company a new aircraft maintenance contract that is bringing 30 new employees to the region and has provided greater job security for more than 80 existing staff. The three-stage project began last November with the construction of a 5000-square-metre hangar and an office block. The offices are now in use and the hangar will be officially opened at a public day on August 14. http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/local/news/salty-competition-for-starfish/3918262/ Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=478 Air New Zealand's new Starfish discount card for frequent fliers will go head-to-head with the successful 10-fare discount voucher offered by its only commercial opposition in Northland, Salt Air, since 2008. Grant Harnish, managing director of Salt Air, said Air New Zealand's Starfish card showed the value of competition for the consumer - although it was a completely different scheme from his company's 10-fare Flexifare voucher. http://nzaviation.com/magazine/2010/07/jetstar-adds-international-destinations-to-akl/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=477 New direct flights to Melbourne and Cairns taking off plus more Jetstar domestic services to Wellington. Auckland Airport welcomed the announcement today by Jetstar that it is expanding its trans-Tasman operations out of Auckland, with new direct A320 services to Melbourne and Cairns. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/aviation/news/article.cfm?c_id=556&objectid=10661484&ref=rss Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=476 Civilian marksmen could be offered a cash bounty to help keep airports safe from deadly bird strikes. Dunedin International Airport operations manager Richard Roberts says airports are often surrounded by landowners who want to be rid of bird pests as much as the airports do. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/3961624/Qantas-Jetconnect-a-sham-company Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200 http://virtualairnz.com/news.php?id=475 Australia's pilots are taking on Qantas in court today, alleging that the airline set up Jetconnect in New Zealand to avoid Australian pay obligations and reduce wages. But the conditions of employment at Jetconnect are significantly inferior to those at Qantas. Pilots are paid up to 33 per cent less and do not receive the same superannuation entitlements.