Our airport wins top-flight award
Whanganui Airport was recognised as the 2022 Small Airport of the Year at the NZ Airports Association Awards held on 14 September 2022 at Ohakea Airbase. Our local airport (pictured) was competing with other small regional airports from around the country that have less than 200,000 passengers per year.
The award recognised the significant work done recently to introduce an Aeronautical Information Service, known as UNICOM, which assists pilots of aircraft flying in Whanganui’s airspace while also providing the airport operator with greatly improved oversight of airport activities.
The judges described the provision of the UNICOM service as a project that went beyond the traditional individual award categories through its excellent safety improvements and enhanced airport user collaboration. They also noted that by reusing the existing heritage control tower building the airport has strongly underpinned the future potential of its aviation community.
Whanganui Airport manager, Phil McBride, says the negative effects of COVID-19 have been significant for the aviation industry. “However, Air Chathams has now resumed their Whanganui-Auckland flight schedule and passenger demand is steadily increasing as New Zealanders return to travelling regionally and overseas,” Phil McBride says.
The reopening of New Zealand’s borders has also meant the number of international student pilots at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy, located at Whanganui Airport, have returned to pre-pandemic levels. This has resulted in a notable increase in light aircraft activity, which places Whanganui Airport in the top 10 airports around the country based on the total number of aircraft take-offs and landings.