New CEO for Air New Zealand 

Air New Zealand announced its appointment of Greg Foran as Chief Executive. 

Currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart US, Greg will start his new role at Air New Zealand in the first quarter of 2020. 

He is a New Zealander, who grew up in Hastings and Hamilton. 

Read more HERE.

Close calls with drones in Kaikoura 

Pilots using the Kaikoura airfield are worried about increasing drone activity in the area and some recent close calls, according to a report on Stuff. 

Air Kaikoura pilot Murray Hamilton told Stuff about a recent incident where a drone passed between the rotor blades and skid of a helicopter. 

Many drones are being operated close to the airfield by visitors to the campground or beach, some possibly unaware the airstrip is so close.

The Kaikoura District Council plans to install signs in key areas and is also alerting people to the danger via its Facebook page, newsletters and community noticeboard. 

Read more HERE.

Jetstar confirms plans to quit regional services 

Jetstar has confirmed its plans to drop regional Q300 turboprop services in New Zealand at the end of November.

The proposal does not affect Jetstar’s New Zealand domestic and international jet services.

Jetstar has operated regional flights in New Zealand for four years and employs 50 pilots in New Zealand.  

A company media statement says the airline “has offered alternative re-employment options to all of the affected employees and nearly all have indicated they would like to take up the opportunity to remain with the Qantas Group”. 

NZALPA is working with the company to ensure the pilots’ interests are looked after. 

Read more HERE.

CAA court case

A heli-logging company now in liquidation is seeking damages from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for loss of profits, earnings and legal costs. The case is currently being heard in the High Court in Wellington and is expected to take eight weeks. 

Stuff reports that the case relates to the authority declining an application from the company, Heli-Logging Limited, to fly Wessex Mk 2 helicopters for commercial purposes, due to safety concerns. That decision was made in 2005. 

Heli-Logging Limited’s lawyer claims the wording in an early letter from the CAA gave the company hope its application to fly the helicopters was progressing well, while the CAA thought differently, reports Stuff.

The case was struck out of the High Court in 2015 but in 2017 the Court of Appeal released a decision allowing the battle to return to court.

Read more HERE and HERE.

Possible Air Chathams expansion 

Air Chathams is considering further expansions of its network, according to a Stuff report. 

Last month’s Uplink reported that Air Chathams has launched a weekly scheduled service to Norfolk Island. The recent Stuff report indicates the airline is now considering regional flights around New Zealand. Routes under consideration include Hamilton to Nelson and Masterton to Auckland.

Air Chathams’ Chief Executive Craig Emeny told Stuff the privately owned airline will not pick up the regional routes Jetstar proposes quitting, because Air New Zealand was too tough a competitor.

Read more HERE.

TAIC inquiry into ATC outage 

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is inquiring into a power outage at the Airways New Zealand control centre in Christchurch at the beginning of last month.

It is believed that a fault in an uninterruptible power supply unit triggered a fire alarm and power outage which resulted in a loss of radar coverage for about 40 minutes and disruption to air traffic control services.  

Read more HERE.