Helipro Paraparaumu - is it still operating?

[Weekend_Warrior]

There doesn't seem to be much action there. Out there yesterday the hangar doors were open but just a couple of aircraft parked outside and in almost 2 hours I didn't hear any of their aircraft operating. Same a month or so ago. Some of their 152s seem to have been dispersed, some are on the aeroclub booking site but not available due maintenance but no-one at aeroclub would admit to knowing anything either - (but I didn't talk to instructors) . All a bit strange. Anyone got any clues? Thanks.

[NotHomeMuch]

Moved to Palmerston North. Open to correction but understand this was done with the advent of Air New Zealand schedule flights at Paraparaumu. Reading between the lines I'd say there is more to it than that.

[remoak]

Not quite.

Helipro's rotary wing ops have all gone to Palmy, but the fixed-wing remains at PP and Helipro have the Air NZ handling contract, using their fixed-wing guys to do some of the job. Helipro tend only to fly on weekdays, so you won't often see them out and about on weekends or holidays, apart from the odd flight.

The aero club, well that's a disaster area, let all their staff go a week or two ago and have only re-hired a couple I believe. The result of inept management and infighting...

[Weekend_Warrior]

TROLL ALERT!

Thread drift, but;

The club is not a disaster area, the instructors were let go because the academy has closed down as a result of TEC cutting off funding to most flight training organizations - not just KDAC

CFI chose to move on, so 1 of the permanent instructors is new CFI and 1 b-cat is staying, along with all the c-cats (so far) and one b-cat part-timer.

In-fighting is well and truly over with election of new president and committee.

Academy is no real loss to the club, just provided employment for a few instructors with no other benefit - didn't seem to provide any income anyway.

I'm sorry about the instructors loosing their jobs, but that's the reality in aviation.

At least the club operates over Xmas/NY period, and on the weekends, when most people want to fly.

I will add that I consider it good news that Helipro don't operate when I want to fly. I won't miss the displays of poor airmanship bordering on arrogance by their pilots, including instructors, that other operators on the field have to put up with.

[remoak]

Hmmm well whatever, lots you aren't mentioning, there's a lot more to it than the loss of government funding. There was certainly no need to to make all the staff re-apply for their jobs if it only affected a few instructors, certainly not if they were all re-employed anyway (one wonders on what terms and conditions). The Academy could easily have made money if it had been managed correctly. No, this was aero club politics at it's finest. Not the first time, and certainly not the last.