Labour to vote on policy today at party conference.
Concerns over new social housing settings.
House prices rise for first time in seven months.
Video | NZ Herald
New buildings at Auckland Airport have been modified and new systems are in place after air traffic controllers’ views of parts of the airfield were obscured.
Auckland International Airport Ltd (AIAL) has had to change the new domestic pier’s roofline to improve visibility but AirwaysNZ says it still has to adjust air traffic control procedures, including requiring more separation between planes.
The ageing control tower will be replaced and, in a consultation document, Airways said the airport’s new terminal pier (Pier A1) would impact visibility from the current site.
“In the short term, this risk can be mitigated by adjusting ATC [air traffic control] procedures, including increased separation standards, and using technology. AIAL is designing Pier A1’s roofline to provide the maximum visibility and implementing changes such as additional controllable stop bars, intermediate hold points and CCTV cameras to improve situational awareness.”
Airways' control tower at Auckland Airport is expected to be replaced. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Additionally, requests have been made to “adjust certain areas of responsibility” to enable controllers to maintain efficient traffic movement.
“While these measures offer a workable solution today, Airways does not want to constrain future growth due to potential air traffic management limitations,” the document says. Controllable stop bars are part of the airfield lighting system and are designed to prevent unauthorised movement of aircraft.
Intermediate holding points are painted with fixed signage at taxiway points as spots where controllers can instruct an aircraft to taxi.
The addition of these features is designed to retain current capacity.
A map with the consultation document shows that, while the runway is visible, areas of the taxiways and aprons are obscured by the new domestic jet terminal, even with its southern end lowered.
The view field from the air traffic control tower at Auckland Airport following new terminal building. The obscured area is shown in red. Image / Supplied
When asked for more details, an Airways spokeswoman said that, as it was still consulting with the industry, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
The document says the current 29m-tall tower, built in the early 1960s, has surpassed its intended lifespan, “with ageing infrastructure posing significant challenges to safety, operational efficiency and the integration of modern technologies”. It also stands on land slated for redevelopment by the airport.
An Auckland Airport spokesperson said it had “iterated the design of the new domestic jet terminal to support aeronautical operational requirements of Airways.
“One outcome of this process has been altering the profile of the roofline to accommodate sight-line requirements from the existing Airways tower and adding other procedural measures such as fit-for-purpose CCTV cameras.”
Its limitations include a confined working environment and an outdated design that hampers the integration of modern technologies, impacting the comfort and effectiveness of air traffic controllers.
Construction activities around the tower are leading to restricted visibility, “which not only compromises current operational efficiency but could also limit future capacity growth”.
As the tower ages, the likelihood of unplanned maintenance increases, particularly in high-risk areas, increasing the potential for operational disruption.
“While current ergonomic and environmental conditions are within acceptable standards, substantial upgrades will be needed in the long term to maintain efficiency and support staff wellbeing.”
Airways says in the document that detailed analysis of the options now suggests the construction of a new 45m-high conventional ATC tower offers the most reliable, cost-effective and lowest-risk solution for Auckland Airport’s current runway operations.
