Jets drop shortcut to airport in new flight rule

Air New Zealand planes at Auckland Airport. Photo / Brendon O'Hagan

The days of big jets taking a short cut on the traditional track to Auckland Airport from Australia, will end next month when all flights are to stop using "visual approaches" over the city and to fly instead by instruments in the cockpit.

The aviation industry says the move will reduce noise from jets as they fly over residential areas to approach the airport from the north in westerly winds.

In clear skies, pilots who are familiar with the airport and can see it across on their right have been able to ask permission from air traffic control to turn earlier in order to get in a position to land.

They take a short cut in the flight path that is followed by aircraft operating under instrument-based flight rules and takes them over the region to Beachlands before turning to align with the runway.

However, the industry yesterday confirmed an end to the practice when announcing a year-long trial from September 1, which will increase the number of flights using satellite-guided Smart Approach flight paths to the airport from the north.

Two Smart flight paths came into permanent operation on May 28 and each of them can be used between 7am and 10pm by up to 10 aircraft a day.

Board of Airlines New Zealand executive director John Beckett said the new north-east trial path would have the same restrictions.

It would be used by Air New Zealand, Qantas, Jetstar, Emirates and Virgin aircraft.

At the end of the trial, aircraft would stop using it and a draft report would be published for public consultation, as had happened after the 2013 trial.

It led to two trial paths being modified to reduce noise, fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and flying time.

Mr Beckett said last year's recommendations also called for the ban on visual flight rules for firstly, wide-bodied aircraft, such as the B777, and then, from September 1, narrow-bodied jets, such as A320s and 737s.

Currently about 75 per cent of non Smart approach flights made instrument- based approaches out of 40 flights a day from Australia.

He said aircraft using visual flight rules on fine days generated most complaints, because their short cut to the runway took them over populated areas.

The NZ Air Line Pilots' Association technical director Rob Torenvlied said the move from visual flights would enhance safety.

"It keeps airliners separated from other aircraft."