NZFF

Sunday Night Ops for 18th October 2009 - Norfolk Island (YSNF) and Auckland (NZAA)



Spring weather is well and truly pummeling New Zealand at the moment, and the locals have been seeking shelter in warmer more settled climes. One popular destination is Norfolk Island, approximately ninety minutes north of Auckland. But Sunday has come and all those weekend holiday-makers need returning home in time for work on Monday.

This week's Sunday Night Operation is focussed on running return flights between Auckland and Norfolk Island.

Begin your evening at either airport, and fly a return trip to the other one.

Due to the prevailing winds, the southbound leg is a little shorter than the northbound, but the round trip should involve approximately three hours of flight. Real-world this route is typically flown by Air New Zealand's A320 flight, but this trip would suit any small jet aircraft.

To help facilitate traffic flow on the ground and in the air above Norfolk Island, we will be temporarily activating the non-standard Norfolk Island Tower position for the hours of this event.

• Event Times: Sunday 18th October 2009 1800-2330 NZDT / 0500-1030 UTC / 1600-2130 AEDT
  (Note: earlier start time to allow people to complete both legs at a reasonable hour)
• Flight Time: approx. 3hrs to complete the return trip
• Flight Plan Route:
  NOTE: start the evening at EITHER of the airports and fly a return trip to the other and back
  
  NZAA/YSNF: AA G591 NF
  YSNF/NZAA: NF G591 AA
  
  Click on the image above to view the preferred routings in the interactive airspace map.
  
  
• Airport Details: Auckland Airport
  Likely arrival r/w 05R: PERAS THREE BRAVO (PERAS3B) then ILS/DME RWY 05R or RNAV RWY 05R
  Likely arrival r/w 23L: PERAS THREE ALFA (PERAS3A) then ILS/DME RWY 23L or RNAV RWY 23L
  Likely departure r/w 05R: WHITFORD FIVE (HD5)
  Likely departure r/w 23L: WESTPOINT FIVE (OT5)
  
  
• Airport Details: Norfolk Island Airport
  Likely arrival r/w 04 - RNAV-Z RWY 04 or VOR RWY 04
  Likely arrival r/w 11 - RNAV-Z RWY 11 or VOR RWY 11
  Likely arrival r/w 29 - RNAV-Z RWY 29 or VOR RWY 29
  
  
  
• Charts/Airspace Info: Charts for all the procedures listed here are available by clicking on the airport links above.
  General Airspace information and details for all VATNZ airports available from the VATNZ Airspace Reference site.
  
  
  
• Priority ATC Positions:
  YSNF_TWR - Norfolk Island Tower
  NZAA_TWR - Auckland Tower
  NZCH-R_CTR - Enroute Control
  NZZO_FSS - Oceanic Control
  NZAA_APP - Auckland Control
  
  Note: If you're providing ATC on the night, please give priority to these positions. They are not an exclusive list, but they are the ones that will see the most action this Sunday.
  
  To reserve a particular ATC position, please post a message to that effect (including the times you expect to be online) in this thread. If possible, also book your position using vroute - large numbers of bookings in vroute attract additional traffic.
  
  
• Late-comers/Shorter Alternative: Late-comers or people looking for a shorter flight should consider flying only one of the legs. That said, Auckland to Norfolk is a similar length flight as Auckland to Christchurch, and with the earlier start time it would be great to see as many pilots as possible make both legs.
  
  
• Norfolk Island doesn't have an ILS. For tips on how best to manage without one, be sure to check out this excellent Non Precision Approach tutorial from VATNZ member and real-world Air NZ flight crew, Steve Hall.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me, or reply to this thread.


Nick