Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:40 amSunday Night Ops for 1st February 2009 - Napier (NZNR), Nelson (NZNS), and New Plymouth (NZNP)
For the first SNO of February, we're focussing our attention on three regional airports in the centre of the country: Nelson, New Plymouth, and Napier.
Not only do all three airports start with an 'N' and overlook (a different) coastline; all of them have interesting features that impact their arrivals and departures. There are big chunks of mountain in the immediate vicinity of each airport, and there are approaches at both Nelson and Napier that are offset from the runway heading. These are all airports where it is downright fun to be a pilot, or a controller!
Each leg should be around forty minutes depending on aircraft type, meaning you should able to easily fly to all three in under two and a half hours. Real-world, there are few direct services between these airports, but you should feel free to bring along your prop or small jet aircraft.
If you have any questions please feel free to email me, or reply to this thread.
Nick
For the first SNO of February, we're focussing our attention on three regional airports in the centre of the country: Nelson, New Plymouth, and Napier.
Not only do all three airports start with an 'N' and overlook (a different) coastline; all of them have interesting features that impact their arrivals and departures. There are big chunks of mountain in the immediate vicinity of each airport, and there are approaches at both Nelson and Napier that are offset from the runway heading. These are all airports where it is downright fun to be a pilot, or a controller!
Each leg should be around forty minutes depending on aircraft type, meaning you should able to easily fly to all three in under two and a half hours. Real-world, there are few direct services between these airports, but you should feel free to bring along your prop or small jet aircraft.
- Event Times: Sunday 1st February 2009 1900-2330 NZDT / 0600-1030 UTC / 1700-2130 AEDT
- Flight Time: approx. 2 - 2.5hrs to complete a circuit
- Flight Plan Route:
NOTE: start the evening at ANY of the three airports and fly in either direction
Clockwise
NZNS/NZNP: (NSNP4) NS H126 SELTA H499 NP
NZNP/NZNR: NP NR
NZNR/NZNS: NR H297 DUMOT H240 NS
Anti-clockwise
NZNS/NZNR: NS H313 FOXTN H467 NR
NZNR/NZNP: (RNAV) NR H430 RUAHI TUIHU NP
NZNR/NZNP: (Non-RNAV) NR H430 RUAHI NP
NZNP/NZNS: NP H252 NS
Click on the image below to view the preferred routings in the interactive airspace map:
- Airport Details: New Plymouth Airport
Likely arrival r/w 05: VOR/DME RWY 05; or RNAV RWY 05 (from NZPM, via the TUIHU1A RNAV Arrival)
Likely arrival r/w 23: VOR/DME RWY 23; or RNAV RWY 23 (from NZPM, via the TUIHU1B RNAV Arrival)
Likely departure: Straight out - Airport Details: Napier Airport
Likely arrival r/w 16 - VOR/DME RWY 16
Likely arrival r/w 34 - VOR/DME RWY 34
Likely departure r/w 16: 16 MIKE TWO
Likely departures r/w 34: 34 MIKE TWO or 34 NOVEMBER TWO - Airport Details: Nelson Airport
Likely arrival r/w 02: VOR/DME RWY 02
Likely arrival r/w 20: VOR/DME ALFA
Likely departures r/w 02: 02 ZULU (to NZNR or NZNP); 02 UNIFORM (to NZNP)
Likely departures r/w 20: 20 ZULU or 20 VICTOR (to NZNR or NZNP); 20 UNIFORM (to NZNP) - 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:
NZNP_TWR - New Plymouth Tower
NZNS_TWR - Nelson Tower
NZNR_TWR - Napier Tower
NZOH_CTR/NZCH-W_CTR - Enroute 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 or two of the legs. That said, this week's legs are all short so ideally most pilots will fly at least three of them. The goal is to concentrate as much traffic as possible - heading in multiple directions - above the lower North Island/Taranaki Bight.
- None of this week's airports 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