Hawke's Bay Airport in Napier is set to welcome the Air Hawke's Bay flight school to the grounds this January. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hawke's Bay Airport in Napier is set to welcome the Air Hawke's Bay flight school to the grounds this January. Photo / Warren Buckland
With a global shortage of pilots, a Hawke’s Bay flight school is expanding its capacity.
Air Hawke’s Bay, the Bridge Pā-based pilot training school located at the Hastings Aerodrome, is set to relocate part of its operations to Hawke’s Bay Airport in Napier in January, to support growing student numbersand expand its training capacity.
The school has operated from the Hastings Aerodrome for almost 30 years, employs more than 15 flight instructors and holds advanced aviation training accreditations, including the CAA Part 141 certificate, enabling the instruction of domestic and international students progressing towards commercial pilot careers around the world.
The school’s general manager, Julie Wakefield, said the move marked a significant step in the school’s development.
“By relocating a portion of our pilot training to Napier, we can grow our operations and train more pilots than ever before.”
Wakefield said since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a global shortage of pilots and increasing the school’s training capacity could help meet that demand both domestically and internationally.
“At Bridge Pā, we are constrained and unable to expand, so having the support of Hawke’s Bay Airport is vital to our ability to grow.
Air Hawke's Bay managing director Julie Wakefield.
“This is especially important for international students, who currently make up 50% of our cohort and typically live in Hawke’s Bay for 12 months while completing their training – contributing approximately $1.3 million to the local economy.
“It is an exciting step for our business and we look forward to settling into our second home at Hawke’s Bay Airport.”
Hawke’s Bay Airport CEO Nick Flack said the school’s arrival aligned strongly with its strategic plans to grow general aviation at the airport and would “contribute to a vibrant and sustainable aviation community here in Hawke’s Bay”.
