Default.shtml

West Auckland Airport Parakai is available for General Aviation, drop-in visitors welcome. Radio 123.5 in MBZ. Due to frequent skydiving, please join downwind, base or final (not overhead). Visitor parking by the hangars, or on grass in summer.

Future Possibilities: The Airport Company is interested in working with an equity partner to develop West Auckland Airport Parakai into a Regional Airport to serve the 400,000 people for whom it would be the nearest Domestic Airport. It would have a larger population catchment than any other Regional, e.g. larger than the successful Regionals at Tauranga, Nelson or Hawkes Bay. For more information and a detailed discussion paper, click on Strategic Intentions . To show the possibilities, a photo of Nelson Airport is superimposed on the area at the same scale... note that the Airport could be developed without disturbing the existing light aircraft runway or any houses.

Weather Station back again. After multiple failed attempts to set up a reliable weather station, it finally looks as though we have one that does work consistently to show the weather conditions at the Airport... developed by Hangar Owner George Richards. Just click on the 'Airport Weather' link at the top LH corner of the West Auckland Airport website, www.WestAucklandAirport.co.nz to see current and past weather, and camera to see fog / cloudbase to the South.

Fuel Types for Wet Wings. If your aircraft has composite 'wet wings' (where a fuel tank is created by sealing off part of the wing, rather than a separate tank), then the choice of fuel is important. The oil companies will meet the stated Octane and RON, but that doesn't mean a particular blend is suitable for every aircraft. The aircraft designer will have made sure that all components are compatible with the straight chain hydrocarbons that make up the bulk of petrol, but they might not have allowed for ethanol. If the chemical design was done before ethanol blends were available, its possible that those blends could partly dissolve some sealers, fuel pipes, or the matrix in composite wet structures. A slightly more subtle possibility is that the aromatics (cyclic hydrocarbons) that are used instead of lead to boost the octane in modern Mogas, also dissolve things differently, so theoretically this could give a similar effect.

For metal wing aircraft like the Tecnams in the West Auckland fleet, no problem... aluminium isn't going to dissolve in any kind of fuel. Its possible that the seals and fuel pipes could be affected leading to slow leaks, which would become obvious in plenty of time. And simiarly, a composite tank that is separate from the structure will develop leaks gradually if its affected. But gradual weakening is not acceptable on a structural component like a wing.

For this reason, the Mogas we use at the airport avoids known ethanol blends, and the Airport's all composite 'Corporate Jet' ZK-WIK uses Mogas or AvGas in its separate centre tank, but for its wet wing tanks it uses AvGas only.

West Auckland Airport Parakai: Facilities & Services. Visitor facilities with tea / coffee / cold drinks / toilets in Pilot Lounge. Icecreams and more cold drinks are often available at the skydiving base across the road.

Aircraft Engineering, Skydiving, Introductory flights and Flight Training for PPL/CPL, Microlights and Gyrocopters. Aircraft parking, Hangarage, Hangar building sites.

Phone first 09 420 8010 if you will need fuel, as sometimes we're all off flying.

Commercial opportunities exist for new operators at West Auckland.

Skydive Auckland 'Supreme Winner' Westpac Business Awards 2020

Skydive Auckland has won both the Marketing Category and the Supreme Winner of the 2020 Westpac Business Awards. And so deserved... tourism operations that previously depended on overseas tourists (like skydiving) have been badly affected by Covid and many have closed down. Meanwhile, Skydive Auckland have got to work and been so successful promoting their services to the local market, that they have won an award. Congratulations Guys, a real achievement, especially now :) "When the going gets tough, the tough get going"

The SDA team 'scrubbed up' for the occasion. Well done guys!

Midweek discount

Both ZK-CDL and ZK-ECL are getting a lot of use, its great to see everyone keen to get back in the air after the lockdown and storms. To help free up the weekends for those with regular jobs, the midweek discount of $10 / hour applies for flights on Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday.

Refuelling Platform for High Wing aircraft:

The refuelling platform provides a steady base for refuelling ZK-CDL and other high wing planes. It's well padded, but planes are fragile so approach carefully :). The platform is kept at the refuelling point. Those who bring their own fuel in cans are welcome to bring them to the fuel apron and use the platform to put the fuel on board, which is better than refuelling inside a hangar and avoids carrying the cans so far from the carpark.

Pull back on the long handle to raise onto the wheels, release to lower.

---------------------------------------------------------

Weed Control: The Airport has been researching and experimenting with non-chemical control of the Alligator weed that has long invaded the ditches on the Kaipara and choked the drains. Letting in controlled amounts of seawater has proven effective, and is much kinder to the Inanga and juveniles of other fish species that breed in the harbour, compared to spraying weedkiller or using diggers to clear the ditches. Further work is being done in conjunction with the Council waterways biologists and the method developed is likely to be rolled out by the Council to other properties on the Kaipara Harbour and its rivers.

Bird Control: Work on this has also been quite effective, and by studying the habits of the birds and making the airport less attractive to them, its been possible to make the birds spend more time elsewhere. Skydive Auckland runs a bird scaring device on their swooping pond for the same reason... that's what causes the loud 'shotgun' type booms at regular intervals. The birds are not keen to settle if they think there are shooters in the area. With our 'Aimm' Movement Monitoring service now used by nearly half the active NZ airports, we use our client newsletters to spread the suggestions for non-lethal bird control to many other airports in NZ and Australia.

Low-emission Aircraft: The Airport's flight training aircraft have been low-emission for a long time, and produce less than half the emissions of a Cessna or Piper training aircraft. Partly this is due to the lighter weight of the Tecnam aircraft used at West Auckland, but mainly because their 1990s designed Rotax engines are considerably more efficient than the 1950s designed Lycoming and Continental engines traditionally used for training. The Rotaxes also use unleaded road vehicle fuel ('MoGas') getting a similar Km/Litre to an efficient car, rather than leaded aviation fuel ('Avgas') so there is a worthwhile benefit there too. All suitable tasks are carried out using an electric ground vehicle, and the Airport is actively investigating moving to electric training aircraft as soon as practical.

Coming Events: Landings by Airport owned aircraft at non-AIP airfields require approval of an instructor, and insurance may not be valid.

Sat 5th Dec: Christmas BBQ at Springhill. Springhill has been closed for some time, so a chance to visit an old friend again. Find it by lining up the town of Wellsford and the square pond, Springhill is close to the hills so that an approach from the south is descending down the slope.

Sat 12th Dec: Kaitaia Aero Club with beach landings organised for those who wish with their own aircraft (no beach landings for West Auckland aircraft :) ) The main runway past the clubrooms and commercial apron is in good condition, the cross runway can be rough in places and is best avoided unless there is a strong cross wind. What appears to be a cross grass runway is no longer part of the airport, and has fences.

Wed 30th Dec: Whananaki flyin. Due to noise sensitivity, avoid overflying houses and note the close circuit below.

Friday 1st January 2021: Feilding NZFI. First Aviation Event of the Year (worldwide): Due to NZ being 13 hours ahead of UTC, this event is always the first of event the year, worldwide. Held at various airports in the southern half of the North Island, it attracts a large number of aircraft, most of which will be new to those who fly in the North. There is often a prize for the 'furthest travelled', which aircraft from West Auckland Parakai are well placed to win. This year at Feilding NZFI, which has complex airspace that looks daunting when approached from the South, but is easy enough from the North coming in under the Ohakea control zones.

Sat 9th Jan 2021: Pancake Breakfast at Kaipara Flats. Always a popular event for local flyers, and often new aircraft to see.

Stratford Sport Flyers will be hosting an Open Day. At Stratford Aerodrome.
STRATFORD AERODROME OPEN DAY SAT 30th JAN. Starts 10am through 4pm.
Everyone Welcome. If Flying in Camping Next to your Plane OK. Avgas on site Credit Card & EFTPOS.
Contact Nick 020 404 28854

Sat 13th Feb: Mata flyin. Mata is a private strip a few miles to the South of Whangarei NZWR, with the annual fly-in noted for its excellent scones and a good turnout of aircraft from the Far North. Find it by lining up the Whangarei Airport and Shipping Port, mata is to the South of the main road.

COROMANDEL NZCX: Second Sunday of each month from 12:30. Clubhouse Ph 07 866 2055. Click here for airfield details.

WHANGAREI NZWR: Last Saturday of each month at hangar 10, the Western end of the row of hangars. Whangarei Flying Club meeting at 10:30 with lunch to follow. Clubhouse phone 09 436 4053. Click here for airfield details.