New Zealand News

Mr Doolan said the inbound Asian market was a strong contributor to higher traffic figures. There was also an improvement in the number of travellers from Europe. Also, more New Zealanders were travelling overseas. In the 12 months to last November, New Zealand attracted 1.147m overseas visitors – up 10% over the November 1992 figures.

Loadings on Air New Zealand’s Tasman flights are also a little higher than some people in the industry thought would be the case. Mr Bob Matthew, Air New Zealand’s chairman, said recently there were indications the substantial seasonal downturn traditionally experienced on the company’s international routes during the June quarter would not be as pronounced this year. Air New Zealand and Qantas no longer code share their flights for economy passengers on the Auckland/Sydney, Auckland/Brisbane services that account for some 50% of their trans-Tasman traffic.

Satellite For Pacific Air Traffic?

The New Zealand Airways Corporation is approaching international airlines about jointly financing a satellite to assist air traffic control over the Pacific. The Corporation’s deputy chief executive, Craig Sinclair, told a Transport Outlook Forum in Christchurch that New Zealand led the world in its air traffic control technology but this extended only a small distance over the ocean.

Once aircraft flew out of reach of onshore radar they could be contacted only by a “crackly” radio system of 1940s technology. Aircraft over the Pacific flew set courses and radioed their positions at set times. Mr Sinclair told the forum that the new satellite aided system would allow air traffic control to advise course alterations to avoid turbulence.

Another speaker at the forum, Roger Toleman, the Ministry of Transport’s policy manager, told delegates the New Zealand government would have no part in deciding whether Queenstown (a major South Island resort) should have an international airport. Mr Toleman said it was the airport owner’s job, not the Government’s, to say if it should, or to plan for it. The MoT’s Policy manager also said the airport company would probably need to feel that Christchurch International Airport (some 450km away) had become a barrier to air traffic before it judged the move to an international airport worth while.

Rnzaf Teams Score Highly In Uk Comps

Royal New Zealand Air Force crews arrived home from the UK with a plane load of trophies from international competitions, some involving RAAF crews. A Hercules crew from the RNZAF’s No 40 Squadron won the Bullseye competition at RAF Lyneham, near Swindon against defending champions Canada, plus Britain and Australia. Bullseye is an annual tactical transport exercise to test Hercules crews’ skills at air dropping loads, navigating an at times low level course and spot landings.

Meanwhile, an Iroquois crew from the RNZAF’s No 3 Squadron won five of the 14 trophies for which they were eligible at the Heli-meet competition, hosted by the British Army Air Corps at Middle Wallop, near the Hampshire/Wiltshire county boundaries. Among the trophies the New Zealanders collected was the Spirit of the Meet trophy for the team displaying the best competitive spirit – the fourth successive Heli-meet that No 3 Squadron has captured it. Forty four teams from 11 nations contested this biennial helicopter competition testing, among other things, flight planning, navigation, flying skills, weapons handling and survival skills.

RNZAF crews later took part in airshows in the British Isles. The No 40 Squadron Hercules was on display at the Royal Air Force airshow at North Weald, northeast of London, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of D-Day.