The Civil Aviation Authority [CAA] says it has been in talks with both Masterton District Council [MDC] and Air Chathams about the potential return of passenger services to the region.
One of the current hurdles facing the resumption of flights from Masterton is the Hood Aerodrome’s certification to allow aircraft to take off and land.
The Runway End Safety Area [RESA] after the runway ends is expected to be a distance of 240m or greater where practicable – a rule the CAA enforces.
Mike Hill, CAA’s deputy chief executive of aviation security and infrastructure, told the Times-Age yesterday that the end safety area provides a longer area for “the aircraft to decelerate in the event of a runway excursion”.
Hood Aerodrome would only be able to have a RESA of about 90m, which Hill said is the “minimum length allowable in the rule”.
“When 240m length is not practicable, the aerodrome operator must evidence the next RESA length that is practicable,” he said.
MDC has started work on widening and re-sealing the runway at Hood, as well as work on other infrastructure to help the aerodrome gain the required certification.
Hill said that the CAA has requested MDC conduct an aeronautical study to “determine the largest practicable RESA length” at the Hood Aerodrome. “There is potential for Hood Aerodrome to have a RESA length less than 240m, depending on the outcome of that study,” Hill said.
“Hood Aerodrome must demonstrate compliance with all the applicable requirements in Civil Aviation Rule Part 139 before certification is granted.”
Rule 139, Appendix A.1 states that “A RESA must extend to a distance of at least 90 metres from the end of the runway,” with stipulations that, if practicable, the RESA must be “to a distance of at least 240 metres from the end of the runway strip; or to the greatest distance that is practicable between the required 90 metres and 240 metres”.
