Expansion at NZWB/BHE begins

As reported on this blog (way back in Sept 2013) the $4M (NZD) expansion of the terminal at Marlborough Airport, Blenheim (NZWB/BHE) is underway.

The first stage of the expansion is the construction of the new rental car kiosks out in the car park area, this will release the space that the rental car kiosks currently occupy inside the terminal.

The second half of stage one will see the expansion of the baggage reclaim area, which will also see this area come completely undercover and out of the elements.  (A damn good idea in my opinion, having had some amazing cold and horrible experiences arriving back into BHE from BNE at night)

The Marlborough Express reports building of the new kiosks began last month with the entire project expected to be completed by March 2015.  Which means the terminal can be showcased to travellers arriving for the 2015 Classic Fighters air show at Omaka.

{Dean} Heiford wanted to remind people that during the next five months, the front of the terminal would become congested, he said.  "I would encourage people to get dropped off and picked up or make use of the taxis and shuttles.  "We have a couple of extra guys working at peak times to help with it [congestion] so we can make it as easy as possible for passengers."

Read the latest Marlborough Express article HERE or find out more about the expansion via the Marlborough Airport Website HERE

2 "new" C172's online at MAC

Marlborough Aero Club (my home aero club) has recently taken possession of two new Cessna 172 aircraft for training, ZK-OMR a C172E and ZK-OMK a C172, the Aero Club still has its two Piper PA-38-112 ZK-DMF & ZK-EQH the aircraft I learnt to fly in.  It would be nice to get back to Blenheim one day and take these two birds for a spin, but that wont be happening anytime soon.

The local newspaper The Marlborough Express published this article about the new acquisitions

      After six months of waiting, pilots at the Marlborough Aero Club have finally been able to take to the skies in two new planes, the first steps in turning the club into one of New Zealand's few bush pilot training schools.
Club president Craig Anderson said it had been a long six months getting the two Cessna 172 planes from the United States to take off on their first flights here on Friday.
The planes, which cost $140,000, had to be found using the internet, then inspected in California and Arizona, flown to San Francisco to be disassembled then shipped to New Zealand, to be reassembled and registered, he said.
"It's a lot of work. The paper work getting them on the Civil Aviation Register here is just a mess. Your shoulders start slumping."
However, Mr Anderson said the planes were crucial to the club's plan to transform itself, teaching prospective pilots to fly in back country, taking off and landing on grass strips and other less traditional runways.
Bush pilot training was something that was not offered by many clubs in New Zealand, but was more challenging and a lot more fun than traditional flying, teaching greater skills, he said, and the wait for the planes had been worth it.
"There's a lot of people walking out of those planes with big grins on their faces and everyone's been saying people are going to get a lot of enjoyment out of them."
The instructors had also been working with experienced Marlborough pilots learning and getting familiar with the about 10 landing strips, which the club will be training on.
"We're very lucky because on the field here [at Omaka] we have got people who have done a lifetime of bush flying and strip flying, people with in excess of 15,000 bush flying hours."
The strips offered different challenges, being curved or tricky to approach in different conditions. The club was preparing a list of each strip's features and trainee pilots would be trained specifically for each strip to make sure the training was safe, Mr Anderson said.
The planes will get their first serious outing at the club's inaugural Healthy Bastards Bush Pilot Champs on February 2.
The champs, which will attract at least 30 pilots, from around the country will involve two competitions, one will see pilots trying to take off and land in the shortest distance and the other will see them trying to land as close as possible to a line on the runway.   

New airstrip with big plans

For those of you who have been with me for the last 4-5 years, you will remember that I started this blog in "the old country" as Marlborough Aviation Notes, well this little article from the Marlborough Express caught my attention today, so in keeping with my origins, I think its only right to post it here.

A group of five aircraft enthusiasts from Marlborough have developed their own airstrip near Blenheim who say it could be used by small commercial operators flying to and from the North Island.
The new Sky Harbour Airfield at Marshlands, near Spring Creek, has been a nine-month "labour of love" for the five friends - including a former commercial pilot, a former airfield owner, an aircraft engineer tutor, a small aircraft builder and someone with a field big enough to land a plane.
The men, aged from their 50s to their 70s, built the airstrip themselves, putting up an electric fence to keep the cows out and flattening the ground for the runway with a 12-tonne roller.
Former US commercial pilot Ron Long said they marked out the 950-metre landing strip with old white car tyres . . . "as everybody does".
All it needed was a wind sock, Mr Long said.
The men wanted their own airstrip, and somewhere to keep their planes, but hoped to develop the site into a fully operational airfield, particularly as a safe place for microlights to operate without the danger of them having to make a forced landing in vineyards in the unlikely event of having an engine failure on takeoff.
There are very few areas left in the Wairau Valley where this is possible, they say. Anthony Chaytor's property, where the airstrip is situated, is ideal, with extended landing areas in both directions. Mr Chaytor has been a microlight enthusiast and has owned many aircraft over the years, and he was keen to see the airstrip on his farm become active again.
The men have been in consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority and the air traffic controllers at Woodbourne.
"We look forward to the airstrip growing," Mr Long said.
"We will try to develop it for aviation-related businesses, like a maintenance facility or paint shop, and ultra-light flight instruction. If small commercial operators, like Sounds Air or air2there wanted to operate out of there, they would be 100 per cent welcome but we haven't talked to them."
The Sky Harbour Airfield could be used by small commercial aircraft in emergency situations or bad weather, Mr Long said.
Eight kilometres from Marlborough Airport and four kilometres from Picton Airport, it was the closest airfield to the North Island, he said.
All people using the strip needed was clearance from Woodbourne air traffic control and a transponder.
The transponder would make an aircraft show up on air traffic control's radar, Mr Long said.
"The field is open for anyone to use and you don't have to call for a reservation," he said. "We think it will be a good asset for the region and an additional airstrip in case of emergencies."
The Sky Harbour Airfield cost only $2000 to develop, with the men sourcing second-hand materials, such as fence posts and fencing, from Blenheim businesses.
There was no charge to land at the runway, although there would likely be a $15 overnight parking fee.
The group was also looking at putting in an access road, Mr Long said.
"It's a beautiful, remote area to fly in and out of with very few obstructions, which makes it nice and safe."   

The article and 7 great pics by Marlborough Express photographer Scott Hammond can be seen HERE

New Blog

I have set up a second blog for non aviation posts.  Its somewhere I can post my thoughts, opinions, questions, comments etc on a vast range of topics that aren't aviation.

NZOM Pilot's Musings

If you're interested check it out HERE