New Zealand

[Karearea]

Many thanks for that.
I used to attend airshows as an amateur photographer (with serious equipment).
Highlights were being soaked by the spray from a Harrier at the Sunderland (International!) airshow held on the seafront at Sunderland - my regular position was perched on the seawall. At high tide the displayline was overhead my position.
When my son asked to accompany me to an airshow (for his 30th birthday treat) I was able to acquire VIP tickets to Farnborough the year that the Vulcan returned. Our seats in the grandstand were alongside the runway at the point where the Vulcan rotated and climbed steeply (and noisily) at which point I was 'overcome' as my son had never experienced what I had become familiar with.

"That's what I've been talking about!"

Did an aircraft actually exceed Mach 1 during your display?
The Lightnings use to arrive from behind the crowds scaring the bejabers with the sonic bangs.

The displays that I attended dated back to Acklington (when Vampires and Meteors were the latest equipment) through Hunters to the Lightnings, F16s and the Su's.

Sadly, displays in the UK seem to be a thing of the past - Sunderland and Farnborough are no more.
Acklington is now a prison (or a young offenders Institution?).

Shoreham ended with a bang!

Don't think there were any sonic booms but on the practice day, Friday, the weather/wind conditions were just right to let the thunder of the F-16s reverberate along the hills and back to the airport in spectacular fashion;
also I loved the feeling of the vibration under my feet and up to my thorax as the aircraft passed by on takeoff.
There will have been some great film taken during the three days as I was surrounded by many with huge cameras.
I don't think I appear in any...

[Karearea]

A key rail connection being severed by a washed away pier is "another warning shot" investment is needed in South Island infrastructure, Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown says.
The warning comes after flood waters in South Canterbury washed away a pier from a rail bridge over the Rangitata River yesterday.

A KiwiRail spokesman said the missing pier had resulted in the 610m-long bridge sagging.

Engineers had been unable to take a close physical inspection due to the high water levels and they could not comment on how long it would take to repair the bridge.

"The Rangitata rail bridge is an important part of the rail connection linking Invercargill, Dunedin and Christchurch," the spokesman said.

"About eight freight trains travel across the bridge every weekday, and about five each weekend."

Mr Brown previously called for stronger bridges after the Ashburton Road/Hakatere Bridge was closed due to a debris build-up last year.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times, he said bridges in the lower half of the South Island, including those running over the Rangitata River, were nearly 90 years old and needed to be reassessed.

The South Island’s infrastructure was ageing and money needed to be spent on it, he said.

"I’m not sure how long it will take to repair that pier that has been washed out. You won’t be able to use the rail bridge until then.

"That has again split the South Island in half for rail."

Some of the bridges were coming up to 100 years old.

"We’ve had with Ashburton a warning shot, we’re doing something about it, and here’s a rail bridge now washed out - here’s another warning shot.

"If we don’t do something ... this infrastructure is going to get washed away when the flows in the river are high."

The KiwiRail spokesman said due to the recent opening of the Fairfield Freight Hub, near Ashburton, it was able to move its rail freight from Ashburton to its Timaru rail terminal via 50km of road — which would keep the freight connection between Invercargill, Dunedin and Christchurch intact.

Port Otago commercial manager Craig Usher said the bridge closure posed "no significant impact" to the port and would probably more impact those in Timaru and rail lines towards Lyttelton.

A Fonterra spokesman said the closed rail bridge would not impact them as no finished goods were being transported by rail on that route.

(BBM)

Article, photo, and brief video at link:

ODT: Sagging bridge ‘warning shot’ work needed

[FD2]

ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT TRIAL ROUTE ACROSS THE COOK STRAIT PROPOSED IN 2026

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3502 ... ric-planes

No passengers yet, just a trial with freight between Wellington and Marlborough.

Air New Zealand Electric.png (182.76 KiB) Viewed 676 times

[Karearea]

Victoria University has postponed a planned debate on freedom of speech after concerns the event could become a platform for hate speech. ...

Radio NZ: Free speech vs hate speech: Victoria University postpones debate after student backlash

[FD2]

Maybe it's about time they were all sent home to reflect on what sacrifices have been made, especially in the 20th Century, to enable them to speak freely on any subject.

Some misguided souls left a lot of graffiti around the country and dyed ponds and fountains red on Anzac Day. I hope the police are after them and they appear in court.

[Karearea]

Ngāi Tahu Tourism has apologised for operating the Shotover Jet boat service during the Anzac Day service on the famous Edith Cavell Bridge.
Locals complained the performance of Last Post was drowned out by the tourist jet boats on the river below yesterday morning.

Business manager for Tumu Pākihi Shotover Jet Donald Boyer acknowledged the complaints.

"We apologise unreservedly for the disturbance our boats created during [yesterday’s] Anzac ceremony on the Edith Cavell Bridge.

"We are investigating our processes as we believe we should have done better.
"We are deeply disappointed at what has occurred and will ensure we halt operations for future Anzac ceremonies."

Edith Cavell Bridge was named after a British World War 1 nurse who was executed for helping wounded Allied soldiers escape occupied Belgium.

Queenstown Returned and Services Association has been approached for comment.

Photos and article:

ODT: 'Deeply disappointed': Shotover Jet-boat disrupts Anzac ceremonies

[Karearea]

Fire and Emergency has been forced back to the drawing board after terminating its contract with Datacom late last year to provide payroll services to its 1800 career firefighters and almost 1000 management and support staff.

The emergency responder spent $29 million on the failed project, which was cancelled in December 2023. ...

More at link: Newsroom: Fire and Emergency payroll plan scrapped after spending $29m


" 1800 career firefighters and almost 1000 management and support staff... "

[FD2]

I wonder if there were ever any problems with FENZ pay issues before Datacom were asked to 'improve' the system. Why did PSe give notice? If Datacom failed to provide what it was asked to do, can the Government (aka taxpayers) recoup any of its outlay? Did Datacom ever get to a contract stage? Don't suppose so.

[Hydromet]

I wonder how much of that is down to poor specification by the client, and how much to incompetence by the contractor.
I've also seen clients contract for a custom-built system when perfectly good off-the-shelf systems is available. This usually happens when someone in the client sees an opportunity to punch their career ticket before moving on to their next employer.

[FD2]

Nobody could have seen this coming - there's no wind and an icy southerly drift - leading to very cold temperatures overnight - and then the windmills don't turn! Well who'd have guessed?

Hopefully this project can be up and working before there are many more embarrassments, but they're not even starting work until the third quarter this year: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/con ... XOKYK3NL4/



Grid crisis: Power cuts possible as cold weather sees demand spike, Transpower issues warning

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/power-cut ... K77DUWKVA/


Kiwis are waking to freezing temperatures this morning and the threat of rolling power outages due to a nationwide grid emergency on the coldest day of the year.

Christchurch, Twizel and Mt Cook Airport were the coldest spots in the country this morning, dropping to a bone-chilling -6.4C around 5.30am, according to MetService.

Alexandra wasn’t far behind at -5C, while Taumarunui was the coldest town in the North Island at -4.6C. Palmerston North was at -3C, Masterton at -2C, Levin, Taupo and Paraparaumu were all around -1.5C and Hamilton was at -1C.

Auckland got down to 4.1C this morning, but chilly winds in the city meant it felt like 2C, according to MetService.

But despite the icy temperatures, households have been told to conserve electricity and not use their heaters as much to prevent overloading the country’s power grid as energy demand outstrips supply.

The country’s grid operator Transpower issued a warning notice in advance, saying it did not have enough generation offers to meet demand between 7am and 9am Friday.

People have been asked not to use heaters or lights in rooms they were not using, not to charge electronic devices and vehicles and to delay using washing machines, clothes dryers and dishwashers.

The Minister of Energy has also urged New Zealanders to conserve electricity this morning. Meanwhile, Government minister and Act Party leader David Seymour has called the potential cuts “Third World stuff”.

[Karearea]

What nonsense.
Those temperatures are standard winter minimum temps for those regions.
Mt Cook Airport is at 650 metres/2150'.

Our media is pathetic and over-excited, wants us to lurch from one crisis to another.

[FD2]

We used to watch TVNZ and/or Newshub at 6 pm. The blatant left wing bias shown by the political reporters beggars belief. Every news story about the Government has an angle carefully worked out to criticise them. I think that some of the things they have done have been pretty badly handled but they can't make a move now without the reporters jumping on them. There's a difficult road ahead when facts and previous failings by Labour are ignored for the sake of an imagined 'scoop'.

I agree that all the media get over-excited by fairly normal weather events and usually rush to use new terms which have been invented by the met men - especially if they are scary! 'Atmospheric River'