NZFF

VAC has gone up to the Solomons for a few months to operate flights for the National carrier there while their Twin Otters undergo maintenance. Solomon Airlines are using this opportunity to trial a larger aircraft on some of their routes which is why VAC went up. Dad came back last night so he could come on part of our family holiday to Lake Taupo and he'll be going back up on Tuesday so I have a few pics that I can post that he took while up there. Unfortunately there aren't many of actual flying as he wanted to wait until the weather got better and the pilots were more used to the shorter coral airstrips before he took many more, so I should have lots more to post when he arrives back again in early March. From what I've heard the Dash 8 is going well up there, and the short island strips and basic facilities pose a bit more of a challenge than NZ airports, but are well within the Dash 8's capabilities with its good STOL performance (Yesterday they stopped within the first 400m (less than half the total length) of the airstrip at Gizo using only reverse pitch (if brakes are used the aircraft just skids) with a load of 20 passengers + baggage. Not bad). By the way, that's mud splattered up the fuselage, not stone chips!

Here are the pics:
















Hope you enjoyed them

WOW ... nice change of scenery .. Bug splatted ? Mister Vincent counting the kill ! .. A310 , see airbus's can start to look prity , love the climate up there , great pic s Tom

Interesting photos, thanks for posting them.

Very nice part of the world. Thanks for the pics

Funny running into Toll up there....two Kiwis in the Solomons

Definately enjoyed them Tom! I'm going to create a "day in the life of Vincent Aviation" mission for the VPA pilots to fly, so I hope you won't mind me attaching one of these pictures to show off the actual aircraft Thanks for posting them up! I look forward to many more.

Very Interesting Tom!

No cockpit shots though?

Thansk for the kind comments guys!

Albatross wrote:

QUOTE (Albatross @ Jan 16 2009, 07:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Definately enjoyed them Tom! I'm going to create a "day in the life of Vincent Aviation" mission for the VPA pilots to fly, so I hope you won't mind me attaching one of these pictures to show off the actual aircraft Thanks for posting them up! I look forward to many more.

Sure! I can send you some better quality shots/ones of just the aircraft if you want?

benwynn wrote:

QUOTE (benwynn @ Jan 16 2009, 09:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very Interesting Tom!

No cockpit shots though?

Nope, I can get Dad to take some when he goes up next if you want.

Any other requests, just ask, and I'll see if he can fulfil them.

Cheers Tom, I'll use that cool photo with the big black cloud above, looking from behind. These ones are just fine, and besides I have my own photos of VAC too Thanks to your Dad for these photos!

Those coral atolls looks beautiful from the air- that must be a dream job flying up there, all that beautiful scenery and much less crowded airspace than over here in NZ.

Look forward to batch #2!