A three month independent review of the controlled airspace around Invercargill’s airport has concluded that there should be no change to the current levels of air traffic control.

The review follows an Airways Corporation NZ decision in May 2019 to close seven air traffic control towers or airfield flight information services around New Zealand, including Invercargill and Milford Sound, in the wake of a dramatic collapse in flight numbers prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Civil Aviation Authority is now reviewing the viability of air traffic control at Invercargill Airport and will be making a final decision later this year. 

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Invercargill Airport Ltd general manager Nigel Finnerty said the comprehensive independent study was undertaken by Astral Aviation Consultants, in association with Melbourne based R2A Due Diligence Engineers & Risk Assessors. 

"We sought the best professional advice in order to understand what level of air traffic management would be required in the future," he said.

"The review recommended that the current level of air traffic control will deliver the safest outcomes to aviation users at Invercargill Airport. It clearly supports no change to the current delivery model and further, states that relying on pilot self-separation, even if enhanced with other technological options, will deliver a less safe aeronautical operation." 

Astral Aviation's report was not available to the media, Mr Finnerty said.

He explained that "pilot self-separation" meant pilots were keeping a radio watch and a good eye out to make sure no other aircraft were around.

At busy airports, it was important to have both air traffic control and pilot radio chat, Mr Finnerty said.

Invercargill Airport was complex because it operated everything from jets to small aircraft, "all going at different speeds and all needing to keep apart", Mr Finnerty said.

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Airways Corporation did not set a date in May last year for when it might withdraw the air traffic service at Invercargill.

But taking into consideration the significance of the proposed withdrawal and its potential impact on the safe operations at the airport, a formal aeronautical study was required. This was in accordance with the current aviation rules, Mr Finnerty said.  

The review was comprehensive and looked at the complexity and use of the airspace as well as providing recommendations for the level of air traffic management that should be used to ensure aviation operations were safe for all aircraft, he said.

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The study team had engaged with as many of the airport’s stakeholders as possible to gauge their views on how air space around the airport should be managed safely in the future. 

Invercargill Airport Ltd board chairman Grant Lilly said the board had carefully and fully considered the report and agreed fully with its recommendations. 

The report and its recommendations had been passed to the Civil Aviation Authority for their review and final decision.

The CAA review would take place in the first quarter of 2021, Mr Lilly said.

Mr Finnerty said the CAA would consult with stakeholders again.

He also confirmed that a 2018 Airways proposal for a state-of-the-art digital air traffic control system for Invercargill was not proceeding.

Milford-Queenstown Aviation User Group keen to keep traffic control at airfield

Milford-Queenstown Aviation User Group chairman Hank Sproull confirmed today that Milford Sound airfield users have sent a report to the CAA outlining the case to keep air traffic control services in the tiny Fiordland tourism resort.

The group represents aviation companies operating into Milford Sound from Te Anau, Wanaka, Queenstown. It is understood three Airways employees provide full time airfield traffic control on a rotating roster.

"We have done all the ground work and are waiting to hear back," Mr Sproull said.

"The nuts and bolts of it are Airways doesn't want to be there but safety is a specific issue that everyone is involved with. We don't want to see air traffic control removed," he said.

Mr Sproull said Milford Sound aviation tourism companies operated in difficult weather, wind and mountain conditions "and most people don't have any appreciation of what's going on in Fiordland with the weather. It is unique. There is nothing quite like it."

He expected the CAA and the Ministry of Transport would make the final decision. He hoped those organisations would request Airways to keep the services at Milford.