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Palmerston North Airport

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Palmerston North Airport
Air traffic control tower for PMR/NZPM
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerPalmerston North City Council
OperatorPalmerston North Airport
ServesPalmerston North
LocationMilson, Manawatū-Whanganui Region, New Zealand
Elevation AMSL151 ft / 46 m
Coordinates40°19′14″S 175°37′01″E / 40.32056°S 175.61694°E / -40.32056; 175.61694
Websitewww.pnairport.co.nz
Map
PMR is located in North Island
PMR
PMR
Location of airport in North Island
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
07/25 6,240 1,902 Asphalt
07/25 1,985 605 Grass
Statistics
Passengers (30 June 2018)652,000[1]
Movements55,960
Source:[2]
Palmerston North Airport Terminal Building, June 2015
Air New Zealand Link Beechcraft 1900 at Palmerston North Airport.
Air New Zealand Link ATR72-500 at Palmerston North Airport
Gulfstream G650 VP-CJR visiting the small regional airport late 2016

Palmerston North Airport (IATA: PMR, ICAO: NZPM), originally called Milson Aerodrome, is an airport in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand, serving Palmerston North and the Central North Island regions. It is located in the suburb of Milson, on the outskirts of Palmerston North, New Zealand, approximately 5.5 km (3.4ml) NE from the central business district of Palmerston North. The airport is 100% owned by the Palmerston North City Council and covers an area of 208ha.[3] The airport is New Zealand's 8th busiest and handled a total of 515,727 passengers in the 2016 financial year. The airport handles around 30 commercial passenger flights per day to and from Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton and Nelson as well as cargo flights on week nights between Auckland and Christchurch.

The airport operates two runways, a sealed 1902m runway and a parallel grass 608m runway, which is utilised for general aviation and training activities by Massey University's School of Aviation.[4] Operating 24/7 with no curfews imposed, the airport has become a freight hub for Parcelair.[5]

Common aircraft operating in Palmerston North Airport are ATR72, Bombardier Q300, Boeing 737-400F, Boeing 737-800BCF and Jetstream 31. Diamond DA40 and DA42 training aircraft used by Massey University's School of Aviation are also commonly seen in the airport.[6] In addition to the normal aircraft types, the airport is able to cater for Airbus A320 aircraft. The airport accommodates charters including business jets through to the larger Airbus A320 aircraft. The airport receives some diverted flights from Wellington due to adverse weather conditions there.[7] The airport has an excellent operational preference, opening majority of the time.[8]

History

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The first airfield on this site was created by the Milson Aerodrome Society in 1931, comprising a grass runway.[citation needed] It was used exclusively for private flights. The first commercial flights began in 1936, operated by Union Airways. During World War II the airport was also used as a military facility. When the National Airways Corporation commenced service to the airport in the 1950s the runway was sealed and a terminal building was constructed; jets started to serve the airport domestically operated by Air New Zealand in 1975, beginning with Boeing 737-200s.[citation needed]

A new terminal was constructed in 1992 and a new taxiway was built in 1994. Following the major upgrades of the airport, Freedom Air started regular international flights to Brisbane and Sydney in 1996. Other destinations including Gold Coast, Melbourne and Nadi were added in 1999.[9]

A Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing 767-200 landed at the airport on 10 March 2003 due to diversion, making it the first and only 767 to land at the airport. Since Freedom Air ceased operations in 2008 and Oz jet pulling out of a contract before any flights began, no carrier has served the airport with scheduled international flights.

In 2014, the airport released its Master plan for 2014–2035. Some proposed ideas include further lengthening the runway, a new taxiway parallel to the runway and an Instrument landing system.[10]

Jetstar Airways commenced daily services between Palmerston North and Auckland on 1 February 2016.[11] These services ended at the end of November 2019.[12]

In 2016 due to an increase in need for overnight mail, Freightways upgraded their New Zealand domestic freight fleet from the ageing Convair 580s and 5800s to the bigger and faster Boeing 737-400Fs under the new company name of Parcelair.[13]

In 2018 Palmerston North Airport contracted Higgins to reconstruct taxiway bravo and charlie. This work was later re-done due to issues with the pavement surface being uneven. [citation needed]

In 2024 Palmerston North Airport began its project to replace the existing terminal with a new, fit for purpose terminal designed to house security screening and enable A320/737 aircraft to operate passenger flights. [14]

World record

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On 17 May 1998, ten people towed a fully fuelled Freedom Air Boeing 737-300 over 100 metres in 47 seconds, to celebrate the opening of the new runway extensions. The record was logged in the Guinness World Records.[citation needed]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinations
Air New Zealand Auckland, Christchurch
Originair Hamilton,[15][16] Nelson[17]

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Parcelair
operated by Airwork 		Auckland, Christchurch
Texel Air Australasia[18] Auckland, Christchurch

Statistics

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Annual passenger traffic at PMR airport. See Wikidata query.

Incidents

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On 9 June 1995, Ansett New Zealand Flight 703, a de Havilland Canada Dash 8 crashed into the Tararua Ranges, 16 km east of the airport, killing four out of the 21 people on board. The aircraft was on a VOR approach into runway 25 when the right main landing gear jammed and failed to lower, and the aircraft was allowed to descend below profile towards the ranges while the pilots were attempting the alternate gear extension procedure.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Palmerston North Airport's rapid growth in travellers". Manuwatu Guardian. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Terminal reclaims international space". Stuff. 19 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Palmerston North Airport Fast Facts". Palmerston North Airport. 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  4. ^ "MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING" (PDF). Palmerston North Airport. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  5. ^ "About us". Fieldair- Aircraft Engineering. 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  6. ^ "About the school of Education". Massey University. 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  7. ^ "How windy is Wellington, really?". Stuff.co.nzt. 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  8. ^ Another reason to choose Palmerston North Airport (Video). 3 News New Zealand. 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Palmerston North Airport History". Palmerston North Airport. 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Master Plan 2014 – 2035" (PDF). Palmerston North Airport Limited. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Jetstar expands regional NZ network with three new routes as passenger numbers soar in Nelson and Napier". Jetstar. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Jetstar pulls out of five regional routes". NZ Herald. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Freightways invests in Boeing 737-400 as online shopping grows". 26 June 2015.
  14. ^ https://pnairport.co.nz/changes-coming-at-palmerston-north-airport/
  15. ^ "Originair, Hamilton Airport prepare to restart regional passenger route". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Nelson's Originair expanding to Hawke's Bay". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  17. ^ "News – Originair". originair.co.nz. 6 April 2023.
  18. ^ Brett, Damian (14 June 2023). "Texel Air officially launches in New Zealand". Air Cargo News. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Occurrence Report Details – Investigation 95-011". Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012.
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