10 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Northland: Whangarei Airport T T Richard Loader Airport plays pivotal role in region Mobile: 027 493 2207 Email: lidd@xtra.co.nz • New Home Installations & Alterations • Rural Work • Commercial & Industrial Installations & Rewiring • All Work Completed to a High Quality • Garden Lighting • Home Theatre Installations • Guaranteed Workmanship MASTER ELECTRICIANS LIDDINGTON ELECTRICAL Alpha Security has proudly been protecting properties right across Northland for more than 30 years. Our team has extensive experience to advise you on the correct security solution for your home, business or commercial property. For advice on how we can help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us today! service@alphasecurityservices.co.nz www.alphasecurityservices.co.nz 09 430 2117 Alpha Security Services 2016 • Access Control Systems • CCTV • Safety Lighting • Electrical Requirements • Monitoring Services • Gate Control • Intercoms • Alarm Systems Home to an array of aviation related businesses, Whangarei Airport is a ten-minute drive to the centre of New Zealand’s northern most city, and plays a key role in the Northland region. Located in Whangarei’s harbourside suburb of Onerahi, the airport is jointly owned by the Whangarei District Council and the Ministry of Transport, and sits on Crown land that has been its home since 1939. Air New Zealand is the airport’s primary scheduled carrier, flying 50-seater Q300 aircraft into Whangarei, with five daily-flights three days of the week, and four daily-flights for the rest of the week. Airport Manager Mike Chubb says that as demand increases, the number of scheduled flights will also increase. “More than half of our passengers would be corporate travellers. Auckland is only a twoand-a-half-hour drive on a good day, so our biggest competitor is road travel. “Having an airport just ten minutes from Whangarei CBD is the airport’s greatest asset because it means it is more convenient for people to fly, rather than drive. The airport is “Having an airport just ten minutes from Whangarei CBD is the airport’s greatest asset because it means it is more convenient for people to fly.” also a great link to Auckland, the gateway to the rest of New Zealand and the world.” Mike observes that Whangarei’s new Hundertwasser museum is a significant drawcard not just for New Zealanders wanting a taste of something quite unique, but also for overseas tourists keen to experience the Hundertwasser magic. “A conference centre to be soon constructed in Whangarei will also become a key asset for the region, with the airport playing an important role for people flying in to attend a diverse range of conferences and events. “The Hundertwasser museum and conference centre are likely to change the demographic of our passengers with more people visiting for recreational purposes.” In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, Whangarei Airport’s value as a strategic asset to the region shone brightly, providing a vital link to Northland when road transport and logistics were significantly compromised. Mike says from a civil defence point of view, Whangarei Airport provides a very important backup for regional infrastructure. “During the cyclone when Dargaville needed to be evacuated, the military brought personnel and supplies through Whangarei Airport to Dargaville to help with the evacuation, and to pick up fuel.” Complementing the airport’s own operations, are an array of aviation related businesses leasing airport land, including the Whangarei Flying Club, a very active and busy recreational club focused on microlite aircraft. A well-established aircraft maintenance business, services a broad range of fixed and rotary wing aircraft from the wider Northland region. Skywork Helicopters Ltd provides a diverse range of commercial helicopter services including agricultural, transporting construction materials, search and rescue, firefighting, and also services the islands and lighthouses. Mike says a number of medical and emergency service providers are also based at Whangarei Airport. “Sunair Aviation’s primary reason for having a facility in Whangarei is its contract with the DHB to fly medical staff to Kaitaia hospital and back every week day. “They also have other aircraft that do flights to Hamilton and by arrangement other locations including Great Barrier Island. “They also provide flight training. Skyline Aviation provides DHB transfers between hospitals using fixed wing aircraft. Rescue helicopter operation Northland Emergency Services Trust has an administration building here.” Other facilities based at the airport include rental car companies, numerous privately owned hangars, and Onerahi Volunteer Fire Station is just on the airport’s boundary. An extra Air New Zealand flight added in the last year qualified Whangarei Airport to add a rescue and firefighting operation. With the purchase of a fire truck, the airport is about to build a facility to house the truck and equipment.
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