A multi-million dollar upgrade of New Zealand's Masterton Airport has failed to ensure an adequate runway end safety area (RESA) is in place to allow commuter aircraft carrying more than 30 passengers to operate in and out of the airport located at the southern of the country's North Island.
As reported by TVNZ's 1News outlet, Masterton District Council CEO Kym Fell told council members that the proposed 90-metre safety area falls far short of the 240 metres required by New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority to operate scheduled flights using aircraft capable of carrying more than 30 passengers.
A runway end safety area is a cleared area at the end of a runway designed to minimise damage to aircraft in case of undershoots or overruns. The shorter the area, the more restrictions on aircraft using the runway.
Masterton Airport has been without a scheduled passenger service since Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) axed its flights there in 2014. The council had hoped to entice a scheduled operator back by upgrading its airport, which included widening and resurfacing the 1,250-metre runway and extending the terminal apron, among other improvements.
Fell said the Civil Aviation Authority periodically allowed exceptions to the rule, but not without the airport operator presenting a persuasive case as to why. "The threshold for approval is high, the costs significant, and there is no guarantee of success," he said.
If the Civil Aviation Authority enforces the rule at Masterton, it would present problems for Air Chathams (3C, Chatham Island), which is considering running scheduled flights between there and Auckland using a 34-passenger Saab (Sweden) 340. Chief Operating Officer Duane Emeny told 1News it was disappointing the airport was not accredited to handle the Saabs.
However, one option is reducing the number of seats on the aircraft to 30. "Despite losing four revenue seats per flight, there would be some improved operational efficiencies of making this change along with the opportunity to provide scheduled air services into Masterton," Emeny said. "Air Chathams will review the options and continue to engage with the Wairarapa community and the regulator on a potential way forward."
Fell said Masterton Council was continuing to explore other commercial opportunities at its airport.
