Airlines want upgrade to beat fog

Fog can cause huge disruptions to planes landing and taking off, and also to passengers forced to kill time in airport terminals. Picture / Martin Sykes

Airlines are pushing for a multimillion-dollar navigation upgrade at Auckland Airport to reduce weather-related flight disruptions, and are offering to share the cost.

The Airways Corporation is investigating the feasibility of installing an advanced instrument landing system, the first of its type in the Southern Hemisphere, which would allow aircraft to land in conditions of low visibility such as fog.

Fog has disrupted flights in and out of Auckland on six mornings this year, about double the annual average.

Although this remains relatively low compared with other New Zealand airports, the Board of Airline Representatives says Auckland's role as the country's main international gateway means any disruption causes operators and passengers great hardship.

Air New Zealand had to divert at least 25 international flights this year to either Wellington or Christchurch, the airline said yesterday.

Board executive director Stewart Milne, whose organisation represents most airlines flying into New Zealand, said his members had agreed to pay "their fair share" towards a project, which he expected could cost about $5 million.

But they also believed Auckland International Airport should pay a healthy contribution, given the growth of passenger numbers passing through its terminals and the consequential extra impact of any weather-related disruption.

"It is a chance for the airport company to show they appreciate this would be a good thing for aviation," he said.

Airport company chief executive Don Huse said last night that it was prepared to "play our part" in any upgrade, depending on findings from the feasibility study.

However, he pointed out that the Airways Corporation was the main provider of air traffic control services.

That meant it would be the corporation's responsibility to upgrade lights and navigational instruments, and the airport company would look at modifying its runway and taxiways to accommodate any changes.

Mr Huse said a possible upgrade had been discussed for some time, but there had been reservations in the past about the economic feasibility.

Given extra passenger numbers and the increase in weather-related disruption this winter, all parties had now agreed it was important to give the idea serious consideration.

Airways spokesman Ken Mitchell confirmed that his organisation was considering a system that would allow pilots on automated navigational instrument approaches to land in conditions of considerably less visibility than now.

He expected it would take about two years to install, but could not say when a decision might be made.

Air New Zealand communications manager David Jamieson said most of the airline's fleet was capable of using such a system and its long-haul international pilots were already trained and certified for such landings at Northern Hemisphere airports.

Mr Jamieson said aircraft virtually landed themselves automatically, although under close supervision by their pilots.

Even under the current instrument approach system they were required to have two autopilots, one as a back-up, to lock on to the glide path and centre-line radio signal.