NZ2351, Beechcraft, B350i, King Air, Royal NZ Air Force

Fiji to Norfolk Island 17 August 2025

NZ2351, Royal New Zealand Air Force, arrived late Sunday afternoon, 17 August 2025, with a rainbow to welcome them to the Norfolk Island International Airport. The crew had flown from Port Vila, Fiji then their flight took them over New Caledonia, then onto Norfolk Island.

After the aircraft landed, I visited the airport and took a few photos through the fence and had a chat with one of the crew. He told me that they had left Fiji two days late, due to stormy weather, with thunderstorms. The flight path had taken the from Fiji, over New Caledonia and then down to Norfolk Island. This had been a 2hr 50min flight. They were supposed to be here on Friday, so were two days late, due the Fiji weather. Once the aircraft was refuelled and routine checks, the Royal NZ Air Force crew were staying the night here on Norfolk Island and then returning home to Ohakea on Monday, expecting to leave during the morning.

On Monday the NZ Royal Airforce Pilot and crew prepared for their flight to New Zealand, and they departed around 12.30pm on a warm sunny day. When I checked their flight data, they reached Cape Reinga the top of New Zealand 1hr 15 minutes later. They were returning to the RNZAF Base Ohakea where they are based.

I have checked out the details of the Royal NZ Air Force aircraft and learnt it is a training plane. NZ2351 is, 2014 Beechcraft B350i King Air C/N FL-962. The flight tracker details showed, KIW405, B350 Beech King Air 350i. The aircraft is a fixed wing multi engine with two turbo-prop engines. The current status is in active service with the 42 Squadron.

I learnt that this aircraft is a regular visitor to Norfolk Island, stopping over when island skipping across the Pacific Islands. They sometimes land at Norfolk Island every 2 to 3 months. The crew member also gave me a Squadron 42 logo sticker, and I have looked up some information about the Squadron.

Squadron 42, Extracts from Wikipedia

No. 42 Squadron RNZAF - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._42_Squadron_RNZAF

No. 42 Squadron is an active transport squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron returned to Ohakea in January 2002. It continued operating four B200 King Airs as part of the flying training wing. In 2018 the RNZAF leased four King Air 350 aircraft to replace the King Air 200 aircraft operated by No.42 Squadron, with the first aircraft arriving at Ohakea in April 2018.

In July 2020, New Zealand Minister of Defence Ron Mark welcomed the delivery of the fourth and final King Air 350 to Ohakea, bringing No.42 Squadron back up to full operating capability. Two of the four aircraft are permanently fitted with sensor suites, allowing for training of aircrew officers as well as multi-engine pilot training. Previously RNZAF aircrew officers were trained in Australia under an agreement with the RAAF.

The next extract has additional information about the Beech King NZ2351.

https://www.airliners.net/photo/New-Zealand-Air-Force/Beech-Super-King-Air-350i-B300/7237659

Beech Super King Air 350i (B300) - New Zealand - Air Force | Aviation Photo #7237659 | Airliners.net

Year of manufacture: 2014 as N5062T to Beechcraft Corp. Ex. VH-ZPG.

On short finals. In order to assist with maritime patrol capability and to enhance training for Air Warfare Officers, two aircraft were fitted with under fuselage pods, containing multi mode radar and electro optic/infra red camera.

The first aircraft converted was NZ2351, the second being NZ2352. Currently in service with 42 Squadron, RNZAF Base Ohakea.

It is always interesting learning about visiting aircrafts to the Norfolk Island International Airport. Here are a couple of photographs I took on 17 August 2025, late afternoon after the crew had just arrived and the Norfolk Island ground crew were refuelling the plane.

Betty Matthews

22 August 2025