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-   -   300m runway extension for WLG (https://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/515896-300m-runway-extension-wlg.html)

speaker 29th May 2013 22:27

300m runway extension for WLG
 
So the council have finally put $1m into the study for a 300m runway extension to the northern runway end into Evans bay. The airport authority also putting in $1m.

Wellington.scoop.co.nz » Airport to seek approval for 300 metre $300m northern extension to runway

According to some the passenger figures to support new flights to International destinations with such carriers as Emirates and China Southern could be on the cards. But Air NZ and Qantas don't seem very interested in increasing capacity from WLG or adding new international destinations.

Does seem to be a good thing but at a million dollars per metre of runway it does seem bloody pricey!

Does anyone remember the Qantas 747SP days into WLG?

Water Wings 29th May 2013 23:59

What the airport company of course fail to mention in any of their media briefs is that whilst they might want to build 300m more, whether that gives them 300m of runway is another thing. Four letters, two words and a number. RESA, "if practicable" and 240.

kiwiandrew 30th May 2013 00:25

Water wings is totally correct. All this would really do is make a currently unsafe airport safer for existing operations. In practical terms it won't provide much additional useable runway length.

Furthermore, even if additional runway was provided who exactly is going to use it? Long haul ops out of WLG are a pipe dream. CBR and WLG are similar sizes, but CBR is a couple of hours flying time close to most markets. If CBR can't justify longhaul ops I can't see how WLG could. ( Don't be fooled by the fact that CHC has some longhaul ops, it is the inbound gateway for longhaul tourists to the South Island - WLG would be an inbound gateway to what exactly? ... WLG and the Wairarapa vineyards? )

NZScion 30th May 2013 01:18

Another thing, given that some aircraft types are already performance restricted off 34 due to OEI climb performance and Newlands ridge, would it not be more practical to reclaim land to the south and extend in that direction?

Steve Zissou 30th May 2013 01:18

'Gateway to what?' You clearly haven't experienced the jewel of the Pacific ... Tawa

waren9 30th May 2013 01:30

or Wainuiomata

Oktas8 30th May 2013 03:35

I would imagine it is much more difficult (that is, expensive) to build a runway extension into Cook Strait, than into calm and sheltered Evans Bay.

speaker 30th May 2013 03:47

Ah Tawa. I don't think any other town can lay claim to having quite so many churches. I live in Linden just north of Tawa so can vouch for its boring-ness :)

Good points about its current state, currently 34 has got 130m "starter EXTN" at the north end, I know this is only for takeoff but is this something that could form part of a RESA? Is it really deemed unsafe as it is right now? What actual useful runway length would they get out of 300m extension?

On the subject, I've noted those ramp shaped objects at the end of 34, are these designed to launch an overrunning aircraft over SH1 /trolley bus wires to a graceful ditching in Evans Bay?

1Charlie 30th May 2013 04:53

Are they not for protecting the LLZ aerials?

haughtney1 30th May 2013 08:11

They should extend it into cook strait and put a ski jump at the end...give everyone departing to the south that sea harrier feeling...:E

27/09 30th May 2013 08:50

Tell them they're dreaming.

Horatio Leafblower 30th May 2013 10:22

I wish you Kiwis would use 4-letter identifiers... I was wondering why the **** Walgett would want a runway extension :rolleyes:

waren9 30th May 2013 10:58

geez not this **** again i wish you aussies would learn the 3 letter ones.

walgett is wge.

framer 30th May 2013 12:30

Air NZ and QF aren't jumping up and down because as it stands they have the narrow bodies in this part of the world that service WLG day in day out. if it suddenly became available to larger aircraft then they would have to compete against more carriers than they currently do.

c100driver 30th May 2013 18:12

The reality is that if the WB machines don't arrive it will be Air NZ, QF and VA passengers that will have to pay for the extension that they don't need. Airport companies don't take a loss!

clark y 30th May 2013 21:08

Waren9,
that's the IATA code (which I didn't know myself until I checked this morning). I've always known it as WLG which is the navaids.

waren9 30th May 2013 22:05


that's the IATA code
i know.

the op used an iata code. horatio got his tits in a tangle. not sure why.

burty 30th May 2013 23:05


that's the IATA code (which I didn't know myself until I checked this morning). I've always known it as WLG which is the navaids.
The navaids are all "WN" not WLG.


The reality is that if the WB machines don't arrive it will be Air NZ, QF and VA passengers that will have to pay for the extension that they don't need. Airport companies don't take a loss!
Given what lies at the end of that runway (a ten meter drop, trolley bus wires and a gas main), the extension will be useful even if it doesn't attract WB aircraft.


kiwiandrew Water wings is totally correct. All this would really do is make a currently unsafe airport safer for existing operations. In practical terms it won't provide much additional useable runway length.

Furthermore, even if additional runway was provided who exactly is going to use it? Long haul ops out of WLG are a pipe dream. CBR and WLG are similar sizes, but CBR is a couple of hours flying time close to most markets. If CBR can't justify longhaul ops I can't see how WLG could. ( Don't be fooled by the fact that CHC has some longhaul ops, it is the inbound gateway for longhaul tourists to the South Island - WLG would be an inbound gateway to what exactly? ... WLG and the Wairarapa vineyards? )
CHC is nothing more than a notional gateway to the South Island anyway, most travel via AKL then hop a jet south or increasingly for Australians, fly direct to ZQN.

And for some current and presumably most future types, Newlands ridge is no longer the performance impediment it used to be due to the availability of alternative single engine departure procedures.

speaker 30th May 2013 23:06

I took a quick look down the forum before I posted and seen AKL and MEL so decided to use the IATA code. Life goes on.

waren9 30th May 2013 23:44


On the subject, I've noted those ramp shaped objects at the end of 34, are these designed to launch an overrunning aircraft over SH1 /trolley bus wires to a graceful ditching in Evans Bay?
i heard a 767 blew an old lady over on the footpath down below when it took off once.


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