NZPP last days?
3rd December 2010
Paraparaumu Airport User Group
Paraparaumu Airport
Dear Users:
Risk mitigation at Paraparaumu Aerodrome
The Director of the CAA notified PAL on the 1st of September 2010 of his mandate for an Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) to be established at NZPP by the 1st of December 2010.
The CAA came to this conclusion after conducting their own risk assessment of Paraparaumu Aerodrome and the surrounding airspace. In making his decision to mandate AFIS the Director made it very clear to PAL that his decision was based on current complexity and movement numbers at the airport and was not linked to the planned establishment of Part 121 operations at the airport. The Director of CAA cited the following areas of concern when making his decision.
Current level of operations at Paraparaumu
Complexity of operations at Paraparaumu
Demands of terrain and weather
Instrument approach procedures and proximity of controlled airspace
Adequacy of current controls
Nature and level of present risk
Reported incidents
PAL responded to the Director’s mandate by conducting due diligence on the costs of an AFIS service at the airport. This review concluded that an AFIS service based on current movement numbers and type of operations at Paraparaumu would be financially unviable for both PAL and the users of the airport.
PAL met with the Director of CAA in early November to discuss his mandate and to present an alternative safety mitigation plan as an alternative to AFIS at the airport. The CAA responded by asking PAL to show how they would manage or eliminate the following risks identified by CAA.
Closely spaced sealed runway 16/34 and the grass runway and parallel operations
Contra-rotating circuits with the same or similar circuit heights
Crossing 12/30 grass strip
The conduct of helicopter operations in close proximity to the runways
A high number of training flights with variable levels of pilot skill and experience.
After developing a risk mitigation plan and incorporating several further changes suggested by CAA, PAL has committed to the following operational improvements to be implemented by the 10th of December 2010 in response to the above mentioned risks identified by CAA. The Director of CAA has committed to review his mandate for AFIS if these changes are implemented by the agreed date.
Therefore the following safety mitigation measures will be implemented at Paraparaumu Airport effective on the 10th of December 2010.
1. All aircraft, other than gliders and the gliding tug must use sealed runway 16/34 circuit for both the sealed runway and grass runway 16/34 (i.e. grass runway circuit 16/34 limited to gliders and tug only).
2. Grass runway 12 will be closed for all operations. Imperative landings and gliding operations only will be permitted on grass runway 30
3. No more than three aircraft conducting circuit training at the airport at any one time.
4. No more than one aircraft on first solo within any circuit at any one time.
5. Helicopters and aeroplanes will be restricted from using grass runway 16/34 when gliding is in progress during weekends or on Wednesdays.
6. On days other than weekends and Wednesdays helicopters and aeroplanes have preference over gliders for use of grass runway 16/34.
7. All helicopter training other than circuit training is prohibited at the airport (this includes autorotations, slope training, sling load training, and any activity within the airport boundaries including the centre grass area).
PAL will organise for NOTAMs to be issued prior to 10th of December concerning these changes, along with changes to the airport’s operational manual and draft amendments for the AIP which will be published first as an AIP supplement on the 10th of March 2011 and then in the AIP on the 7th of April 2011. All users based at the airport will also need to sign an MOU which PAL will draft agreeing to these operational requirements.
Other safety mitigation measures that will be, or have been, established include:
1. An increase in the frequency of user group meetings over the summer months (users have agreed to)
2. Software upgrade to AWIB to allow AWIB to broadcast which runway the wind direction favours (target date 10th of December 2010)
3. Vector article published by CAA outlining these changes (TBA)
4. Information on PAL’s website for transit pilots to help them avoid the main areas of aircraft activity within the NZPP MBZ. (TBA)
PAL acknowledges that the notice for these changes is short. However, PAL believes that these changes will increase the safety of our airport and will hopefully avoid the cost of AFIS for all users at this point in time.