NZNRDuring March we'll be following the Black Caps and England around New Zealand as they play out the upcoming Test Cricket series. There are the two teams and their entourages, media people, the fans, and a ton of kit and equipment that needs to be moved from one match to the next. In the process we'll get to visit some of VATNZ's less-frequently-used regional airports.
This Week: Wellington to Napier (160nm / sector)
The second test will be as good as over (Sunday night will be the end of day four) and the teams and their supporters need ferrying from Wellington to Napier in time for the third match. We're bringing in extra flights from the capital to help cope with the travelling armies (barmy and otherwise) that are following this series.
Because this leg of the tour is so short we're encouraging people to also fly a return sector from Napier back to Wellington after dropping off their cargo.
This will keep things nice and hectic for controllers and pilots with two streams of traffic heading in opposite directions in what is essentially a figure-eight pattern. Total time for both legs should be somewhere in the vicinity of 2 hours - probably less for those in jets.
Air NZ mainly fly the Dash 8 on this route so this is a great opportunity to pull those smaller aircraft out of the hangar, but feel free to bring whatever you feel you can land safely at Napier!
- Departure Time: Sunday 16th March 2008 1930 NZDT
- Flight Time: 45 mins / sector
- Flight Plan Route:
NZWN/NZNR: WN H364 PP H467 PM H201 NUNSO H103 NR
NZNR/NZWN: NR H429 PM V241 WN
- Departure Airport: Wellington International Airport
Likely departure r/w 16: PEGSA2 or DULEX2
Likely departure r/w 34: TY3 (Titahi Bay 3) - Arrival Airport: Napier Airport
Note: NZNR does not have an ILS approach - expect a VOR/DME, NDB/DME, or visual approach - Departure Airport: Napier Airport
Likely departure r/w 16: 16 MIKE
Likely departure r/w 34: 34 MIKE or 34 NOVEMBER - Arrival Airport: Wellington International Airport
Likely arrival r/w 16: PP1 (Paraparaumu 1) or LADIT 1B (RNAV)
Likely arrival r/w 34: LADIT 1A (RNAV) - Late-comers/Shorter Alternative: Late-comers or people looking for a shorter flight should consider flying only one of the legs. The goal is to concentrate as much traffic as possible into the lower North Island.
- Bonus Sectors: People who are flying the NZWN/NZNR routes in a jet will find they get through the round trip in probably less than ninety minutes. Based on the previous weeks you can expect fairly comprehensive ATC coverage until at least 22:30 NZDT. So, once you've completed the main sectors, feel free to add another in the lower North Island. Flights into NZPM for example will add to the controllers' fun no end with the two main routes crossing each other directly above the airport.
- Charts/Airspace Info: Available by clicking on the airport links above, or from the VATNZ Airspace Reference site.
and that was the fault of the operator not the aircraft.
