Invercargill Airport bosses are celebrating after it was confirmed today it will retain Air Traffic Control coverage. 

The airport faced losing its staffed ATC tower after Airways Corporation NZ, in April 2020, said it planned to withdraw the service. 

It was one of five airports across New Zealand set to lose ATC, with Airways instead providing its airfield flight information service (AFIS).

Pilots would have had to rely on cockpit technology and information from Airways, rather than specific live instructions, to ensure separation of aircrafts. 

Advertisement: Glowing Sky

Invercargill Airport commissioned an independent study which found retaining ATC would be the safest option. Today the Civil Aviation Authority, which governs safety in New Zealand's skies, announced it agreed with its findings. 

Nigel Finnerty, chief executive of Invercargill Airport Ltd, says: "We completed an Aeronautical Study looking at the aviation activity in our Airspace, which found that the current levels of air traffic management would deliver the safest outcomes for all aviation users of Invercargill Airport. 

"We are pleased that CAA has supported the recommendations of the study, meaning we can continue to deliver the safest service to our customers.

"This decision will allow the company to continue to grow and develop the scope of aviation operations in Invercargill." 

Advertisement: Moss & Sons

Airways operates 17 air traffic control towers nationally and offers AFIS at Milford Sound Piopiotahi Aerodrome and Kapiti Coast Airport.

Milford Sound also faced a downgraded level of service. It was set to lose AFIS until the aerodrome operator, the Ministry of Transport, also commissioned an independent study. 

CAA announced back in May it agreed with those findings, too.

Grant Lilly, Chair of the Invercargill Airport Ltd Board, said today's decision meant the airport could continue to deliver aviation operations to the highest safety standards at Invercargill Airport.  

Advertisement: Te Anau Auto Electrical

"Not only are we the gateway to Invercargill and Southland, but to the whole Southern region," he said. 

"The safe, reliable and efficient operation of our airport is critically important to our connectivity with the rest of New Zealand as well as the growth and development of the region in the future." 

The study was undertaken by Astral Aviation Consultants in association with Melbourne based R2A Due Diligence Engineers & Risk Assessors. It team spoke to commercial and recreational aviators and others to gauge their views on how air space around the airport should be managed safely in the future.

"Now that we have the decision on the level of Air Traffic Management required at Invercargill Airport, we look forward to working with Airways NZ on continuing to delivery these services to our customers," Finnerty said.

Advertisement: Trenz

Invercargill Airport recorded a total of 22,000 aircraft movements in the 12 months to March 31, 2020, consisting of 7000 under Instrument Flight Rule and 14,000 Visual Flight Rules. 

Airways CEO Graeme Sumner, when the Milford decision was released, said: "Our goal has been to make sure that there is an evidence-based service in place at all involved airports that ensures safety remains paramount, without imposing unnecessary cost onto the airlines and other operators that use the aerodrome."