Steve and Grant kick off the new year on the AusDesk by reporting about New Zealand! Yeah, that works, right? :)

• Glyn Powell, the man who made the fuselage & wings of the DH Mosquito recently restored by AvSpecs in NZ has been awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for his efforts.
• 787-9 test aircraft visits NZ (AirNZ is the launch customer) and will then head to Alice Springs in Australia for heat testing.
• Brindabella retrenches 135 of 140 staff (some being kept to maintain aircraft as the administrator seeks buyers) but some pilots are offered jobs by REX.
• Qantas is copping some flak for “manufacturing its own crisis.”
• First flight for the RAAF’s first C27J.