New Zealand News

He recently told a joint conference of the New Zealand Geographical Society and Institute of Australian Geographers in Auckland that in all respects, commercial and social interaction between the two countries should be “virtually indistinguishable from that which takes place within each country”.

New Zealand and Australia were “engaged in a constant process of harmonising customs procedures. I believe that duty free should be conducted with the minimum of formal intervention by customs authorities”. The minister also said a single aviation market was on the agenda and New Zealanders would also be able to draw directly on their New Zealand bank accounts while in Australia. He said that despite ease of travel and trade, the two nations will remain separate entities, without a joint currency or economy. Meanwhile, Australians flying this way will soon have a speedier passage through customs.

Customs minister Murray Mccully says new machines will be installed at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch international airports. The machines automatically read and process passports. New machine readable passports are now being issued.

Air New Zealand Reviews Procedures

Air New Zealand has reviewed flight deck procedures after a Boeing 747-400 flew lower than normal over a shopping centre on approach to land at Auckland airport.

A number of people complained about the low flying aircraft and an internal inquiry found the Boeing descended below the recommended altitude, passing over the complex at only 520ft. The minimum level at that point of thelanding approach is believed to be 900ft. The aircraft continued to descend but the landing was aborted when the flight crew could not see runway lights through the murky conditions. It diverted to Christchurch.

Four other international flights were also diverted from Auckland that day because of thick mist and the non-operation of the airport’s instrument landing system.

With the ILS withdrawn from service to allow runway extension work, the 747-400 was forced to make a “non-precision” approach using its VHF radio navigation system.

High Court Views on Landing Fees

Airlines have welcomed news that increased landing fees at Wellington Airport have been ruled invalid by the High Court.

Air New Zealand, Ansett, Qantas and the Board of Airline Representatives sought a judicial review of the fees, which soared from a total of $NZ9. 1m to $NZ15. 1m when the airport was corporatised in October, 1990. Airlines refused to pay the higher fees, saying they had not been consulted properly and had not received necessary information on the new fees, continuing to pay the old charges.

Wellington Airport is 66% owned by the Government and 34% owned by Wellington City Council. The company made an after tax profit of $NZ1. 21m in its first eight months of operation.

Aircraft Parts Inquiry

New Zealand officials are seeking more information from America’s National Transportation Safety Board on possible defective light aircraft parts which may have caused several fatal accidents worldwide.

The controller of safety investigations at The Ministry of Transport’s air transport division, Mike Baker, said the division was following closely a finding by the board that faulty Cessna carburettor parts had caused safety problems and fatal accidents for 30 years. The board recommended to America’s Federal Aviation Administration that the parts be quickly replaced with redesigned parts.

Mr Baker said if the FAA took action, officials in the MoT’s air transport division would almost certainly follow.

He said the faulty parts were not a problem in this country as far as the division knew, “but that’s not to say it can’t happen here”. He said the faulty parts may not only be in Cessnas but in other light aircraft too.

“Big Brother” Aid for Ansett NZ

Ansett New Zealand Ltd received a $NZ32m equity injection from its Australian parent, Ansett Transport Industries Ltd, in the last year.

The company’s last balance sheet filed with the Companies Office showed the parent subscribed to 32,000 redeemable preference shares of 100c at a premium of 99. 9c each on May 29, 1991.

The New Zealand Herald reports that a note to the accounts also shows that on July 1, 1990, Ansett New Zealand acquired Ansett Equipment Ltd, a leasing company in the airline industry for $NZ32m. Included in Ansett Equipment’s balance sheet were yen deposits of $NZ28. 8m.

Ansett New Zealand reported a loss of $NZ19. 26m in the June 1991 year, down from a $NZ43. 8m loss in 1990. Group revenue was up 20% at $NZ183. 74m with revenue from airline operations up 11. 5% to $NZ152m.

New Joy Rides

The pilots describe it as a good alternative to the bungy jumpjoy rides in a two seat Pitts Special aerobatics plane.

Two Canterbury pilots who operate from Ashburton, 85km south of Christchurch, are part owners of the Pitts.

Grant Bisset and Alistair Johnston give passengers a 20 minute flight which features loops, rools, stall turns and inverted flight. The pilots also run a flying school from Ashburton airport.

There’s also plenty of joy for another pilot – Tania Woodbury, who is Ansett New Zealand’s only female pilot. After four years with the airline, Tania has become a Dash 8 captain. She was a first officer on the Ansett Boeing 737s and later the British Aerospace 146.

Air New Zealand has six women pilots. The first, Jan Peterson (nee Everest) today flies Boeing 767s for the airline. And while Tania Woodbury is enjoying the promotion to captain, Ansett’s engineering manager in Christchurch, Ian Craib, is enjoying retirement. He served the aviation industry for 39 years, starting in 1953 as an apprentice with the National Airways Corporation (now merged with Air New Zealand). He also worked for Royal Brunei Airways before helping to set up Newmans Air, which became Ansett New Zealand.