Aircraft Hirage Terms and Conditions 

Hire to Independent Pilots:
West Auckland Airport's aircraft are available for independent hire to pilots approved by West Auckland Airport Company Ltd (WAACL). By booking an aircraft you indicate that your Pilots License, Biennial Flight Review & Medical are current and that you are flying within the conditions of your license. All pilots take responsibility for their own decision making during flight and must consider the conditions, the capabilities of the aircraft, and their own experience and competence, and avoid actions that put themselves, others and the aircraft at risk.

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Hire to Instructors for Student Pilots:
Instructors hire the plane on behalf of students, including for solo flights requiring sign-off.

Every solo flight by a student pilot requires instructor authorisation and supervision to the extent that the instructor considers necessary. Before an instructor sends a student on their FIRST solo, they are to do a few circuits with a different instructor who agrees that they are ready.

Instructors and Students have a shared responsibility for decision making during flight and must consider the conditions, the capabilities of the aircraft, and their own experience and competence, and avoid actions that put themselves, others and the aircraft at risk.

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Payment:
WAACL will bill independent pilots monthly for their hire and any fees related to their flights (such as Airways charges or airport fees), to be paid by Internet Banking / Direct Credit within seven days of being billed. Student flights, and any fees incurred, will be billed to the Instructor.

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Considerate Booking Practices:
The aircraft are used by many pilots. For the convenience of other pilots please book considerately and arrive promptly for your aircraft booking time. Your aircraft booking should start from the time you will be ready to use the aircraft.

Example: If you are planning a 15 minute briefing before a flight, this should take place in the 15 minutes before the time that the aircraft is booked.

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Fair Use Pricing and Cancellation Policy:
On weekends, public holidays, and other peak demand periods, a minimum engine turning charge of 50% of the booking time applies to a maximum of:

• 3 hours engine turning time per calendar day during winter (May–August)

• 4 hours engine turning time per calendar day during summer (September–April)

Hours charged will be the greater of the actual engine turning time or applicable minimum charge.

Example 1: If you book an aircraft for the 8 or more hours and accrue only 1 hour of engine turning time, you will be charged for 3 hours in winter or 4 hours in summer.

Example 2: If you book an aircraft from Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon and accrue only 2 hours of engine turning time, you will be charged 6 hours in winter or 8 hours in summer, as the booking spans two calendar days (or parts thereof).

Cancellations within 24 hours may be charged at 50% of booking time, or as per the Fair Use Pricing above. In cases where cancellations are due to weather, maintenance, or other airmanship issues the cancellation charge can be removed with approval of WAACL.

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Overnight Hire:
Requires prior approval of WAACL and may be subject to Fair Use Pricing as above.
It is always acceptable for a flight to be aborted, and the aircraft returned late for reasons of good airmanship. Unplanned overnight stays required because of deteriorating conditions, maintenance problems, pilot fatigue, fading light, etc, must be advised to WAACL as soon as possible.

When parked outside at a remote aerodrome the aircraft are to be tied down overnight and the flight controls secured.

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Insurance:
The aircraft are insured for flights within the privileges of the licence held by the pilot in aircraft that meets current airworthiness standards. Note that the insurance company may decline to cover a landing into a non-AIP airstrip, leaving the pilot or instructor responsible for the whole cost of any damage. If you are in command of the aircraft (including ground handling), you are liable for the cost to repair any damage to the aircraft is in your care up to $1500, or the whole cost if declined by the Insurance company.

For student flights, the instructor is always considered pilot-in command for insurance purposes.

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Fuel:
95/98 octane unleaded Mogas is preferred, but AvGas can be used when necessary. On a long flight it is much better to top-up with AvGas than to risk running low on fuel. When possible, a reserve of one hour's fuel should be maintained at all times.

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Defects:
Damage may be caused by excessive force when pushing controls or fuel taps etc against the stops. Use no more force than is necessary to check movement to a stop or that a tap is open/closed.

Please advise the engineer when less than 10 hours remain to the next service and note 'advised engineer' on log.

Minor defects should be noted on the base of the logbook sheet, with an * --> to draw attention. They will be checked at the next service.

More significant defects should be advised to the Chief Engineer, Bryn Lockie at Leading Edge. In the case of uncertainty, always advise the Chief Engineer.

Serious Defects that are a potential danger to flight are to be handled by the pilot grounding the plane with a large clear note on the instrument panel, like "Do not fly until cleared [nature of defect]". Leading Edge or WAACL should be advised immediately.

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Ground Handling:
Note that 99% of damage to aircraft occurs on the ground. Careful ground handling is required.

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Safety Equipment:
Our aircraft are equipped with ADSB, which should be powered 'on' at all times when the engine is running. Do not change modes, the ADSB switches automatically between ground and air modes.

In addition, our aircraft are fitted with a BRS whole-aircraft ballistic parachute capable of lowering the aircraft with passengers to the ground. In the event of emergency requiring a forced landing, the pilot should use the parachute unless they are certain that they can achieve a safe landing. Forced landings into water or soft mud should always use the parachute.

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Commercial Traffic:
Where possible, yield to commercial air traffic.