New lights at Wanganui's airport are the first of their kind in the country and could set a benchmark for other regional airports.
Airways New Zealand installed about 30 LED (light-emitting diode) runway lights. Switched on for the first time on February 25, the lights - at both ends of the runway - are part of the upgrade of Wanganui's entire runway lighting system, first installed in the 1960s.
For now the lights are turned on manually, but will eventually be operated from the country's flight control centre at Christchurch.
Allan MacGibbon, Wanganui District Council airport manager, told the Chronicle that initially Airways NZ indicated the cost was going to be loaded on to the council.
"We don't even own the stuff, so we fought that battle for two years and won it," Mr MacGibbon said.