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$8 million fleet lands at school
Manawatu Standard Last updated 13:00 03/07/2009SharePrint Text Size MURRAY WILSON/Manawatu StandardGETTING OFF THE GROUND: One of the School of Aviation's new Diamond Aircraft 40 planes. Relevant offers
A female voice comes through the headphones: "Terrain, terrain. Pull up! Pull up!"
But the pilot doesn't flinch, continuing to fly calmly over the flat Manawatu countryside, which is perfectly visible through the bubble-shaped cockpit on the clear winter's day.
The warning is about the ranges off to the left, he explains.
It's that sort of safety measure in the plane that makes it perfect for pilot training, and why Massey University School of Aviation has just coughed up $8 million for a fleet of 14.
And the pilot, the school's chief examiner and safety manager Ritchie de Montalk, said the planes were pretty good to fly, too.
"With the equipment and the visibility it's a real pleasure, I'd like to have one for myself and just go cruising in it."
The university hosted a launch for the fleet yesterday.
Six of the single-engine Diamond Aircraft 40 planes are at the school's Milson Flight System Centre, and the remainder, including two twin-engine Diamond Aircraft 42s, are due to arrive in the next few months.
School general manager Ashok Poduval said the planes would help keep students at the cutting edge of aviation.
"Flying an aircraft today is not merely about stick-and-rudder skills it is about managing a technologically advanced machine."
Massey vice-chancellor Steve Maharey said the decision to spend $8m in tough financial times was one that had to be made.
The aviation degree was cutting-edge because it combined academic and practical skills, and the planes would help keep it at the forefront, he said.
"Looking to the future made it essential that we bought these planes."
The new aircraft will replace the school's fleet of Piper Warrior single-engine, and Piper Seneca twin-engine aircraft.
Two hundred students are taking the Bachelor of Aviation Management programme, and 90 the Bachelor of Aviation Air Transport Pilot degree.
There are 28 postgraduate students.