Loss of Avgas facility at TAUMARUNUI

[ErrolC]

Via nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/taumaranui-airfield-fuel.html

(support document at the link)

PERMANENT REMOVAL OF AVIATION GAS FACILITY AT
TAUMARUNUI AIRFIELD

Z Energy has informed the Taumarunui Aero Club that it intends to remove their Aviation Gas facility at Taumarunui TM airfield by the end of March 2013.
This is the only Avgas facility on the airfield.
We believe that if this happens, not only will the Taumarunui Aero Club and the owners of private aircraft on the field be seriously affected, but General Aviation as a whole will be compromised.
For a large number of aircraft transiting the North Island, N to S and E to W, Taumarunui Airfield is the only all weather alternate / emergency airfield.

The Taumarunui Aero Club hosts many groups with aviation interests all of which use Avgas and require refueling before returning safely to their home bases. These include:

· The NZ Tiger Moth Club

· NZ Flying National and Regional Competitions

· The Air Safari

· AOPA and Sportsflying NZ fly-ins

· Warbirds NZ

· Cross country training flights from New Plymouth, Tauranga, Auckland, Palmerston North and Hamilton.

It is our opinion that should the Avgas facility be removed, safe GA flying through the Central North Island will be compromised.
We need your assistance to prevent this from happening by either:

1. Writing a letter to the CEO of Z Energy, outlining your concerns and any other comments you may wish to make, or

2. Complete and sign the attached support document with your comments and return it to us to forward on.

The CEO of Z Energy is Mike Bennetts, his address is:

Z Energy, 3 Queens Wharf Wellington, or P.O.Box 2091, Wellington 6140, or email attention Mike Bennetts at [e-mail] .

Kevin Vile
President of the Taumarunui Aero Club

[flyjoe180]

The reasons for the removal of the supply?

[ErrolC]

I assume insufficient use, but it is quite possible that the notification from Z Energy didn't give a reason.

[Bruce]

The big problem with TM is that most of the other facilities in the region are BP, so if people don't have a Z card they can't buy fuel. I got a Shell / Z card when CKE first started flying, but I never used it in the 2 years before it expired, so they didnt renew it for me. If Avgas suppliers in NZ were really wantingto seel their product they would provide EFTPOS / Credit card options like they do in Australia and the US. The Fuel card system is inconvenient an obsolete way of doing business...

[FlyingKiwi]

Would be annoying to see yet another fuel stop disappear, I use Taumarunui quite often on crosscountry exercises with students and while we don't always need to refuel there, having the option is very welcome, especially given the nature of the terrain around there.

[thomarse]

If you're writing to the CEO of Z, enclose your Shellcard with the letter.

Funny how quickly that helps people get the hint.

[eieio]

My guess is that Z is directed to make 10% return [so we can all enjoy retirement] and to hell with service. Perhaps we should look for someone who wants the business that is available and support them,especially if they supply from an airfield that has not increased fees by 100%. I have had no contact with Z re my expired card ." Airfuels" got much the same treatment relative to their part in the Z system. Z apparently want 70.000 litres thru put for Taumarunui. I recall BP wanted 40 000 lt? for Te Kowhai

[hardyakka]

Generally speaking, I would be unhappy to see any fuel facility disappear from any airfield but I also believe the the fuel companies are not completely out to get us and it really does come down to use it or lose it...
Also, if you could purchase avgas using an EFTPOS card, imagine how many boy racers would fill up their RX-7s with avgas and scorch around without paying their fair share of the road user charges levied on regular mogas.

[alexjc]

I use to work for Shell but left in 2011 when that obnoxious Infratel run ediface 'Greenstone Energy' bought up all the Shell Retail business in 2010. Difficult people to deal with...Working for them gave me nightmares. They always had an excuse for closing things down and wanted an Incident Report for even the most minor thing. Rebranding the retail to Z was just pathetic and trying to play on the NZ owned theme is wearing thin. They dropped all the staff contracts to just above minimum wage, and you wonder why service is crap?
They have lost the Kiwirail fuel supply contract after only one year and have lost another major contract just before Xmas. Remember Z is Infratel hiding behind the 'superann' fund. They have no idea how to run fuel supplies...and yet they own Airports? Give the Taumarunui AvGas supply to Mobil. As for Eft-pos at pump - they 'boyracer' thing is the main reason they are reluctant to fit the facility at insecure remote sites - I did ask my 'new' employer about this some time back. I suggested the neutral 'Cardlink' or 'Fleetcard' systems be capiable on these as well as branded Truck stops...No, too messy with the paperwork and you'd be charged a hefty monthly service fee.

[Peter Lewis]

As with roadside fuel pumps, if the sales drop below a specified level they close it.

[Peter Lewis]

"Bring Back Origin Pacific Airlines! - The Provinces are missing out!"

NZs worst ever airline.

[alexjc]

Jan 26, 2013 7:06:15 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

"Bring Back Origin Pacific Airlines! - The Provinces are missing out!"

NZs worst ever airline.

Haaa...I take it you had a bad experience with them?.

[johnnyfalcon]

I flew Origin several times - found them obliging and punctual.

Why not approach BP (or Mobil as suggested above) and help them broaden their market share?

I almost had to use TM as an alternate due weather and subsequent serious fuel shortage (the engine coughed on arrival at destination pumps). Perhaps I should have...

Letter will be written

[eieio]

Mobil not so long ago got out of most of their avgas.

[Peter Lewis]

Jan 26, 2013 11:20:22 GMT 12 alexjc said:

Jan 26, 2013 7:06:15 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

"Bring Back Origin Pacific Airlines! - The Provinces are missing out!"

NZs worst ever airline.

Haaa...I take it you had a bad experience with them?.

From 2006
rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=civil&action=display&thread=4178

"I have little sympathy with at least some of Origin's staff.

RANT

Listen up, boys and girls, and learn how not to run an airline:

Early last year, we decided to go down to Napier for the Art Deco weekend. There were several events that we wanted to attend, the first one being a theatre showing at 8pm on the Friday evening.
After consulting various airline timetables on the internet, we thought 'why not' and booked with Origin Pacific to fly Auckland-Napier on Friday afternoon, leaving Auckland at about 4pm which would give us ample time to get settled in and make the theatre on time. The return flight (also with Origin) left Napier for Auckland at 3pm on Sunday. We paid our fares, got our tickets, and settled back happily.

Two weeks prior to our departure, Origin rang us and said 'just letting you know that the 4pm flight has now been rescheduled to depart at 7pm. Have a happy day.' Eeek, that's no good, we will not make it to the theatre event (for which we had now booked and paid). 'That's OK' said Origin, we'll refund you your fares'. Which really does not solve the problem.

As it was now so close to our travel date, all the cheaper range of AirNZ fares had sold out, so it cost us a bundle extra to fly down with them.

The rest of the weekend went without any problems, and we appeared at the Napier airport terminal at 2pm on the Sunday and checked in for our return flight. 'Hmmm' said the Origin Pacific lady, 'we'll keep you posted'.

Time went by, at 2.50 'Origin Pacific announces that the flight has been delayed'

At 3.30 'Origin Pacific announces that the flight has been cancelled' No reason given, certainly not weather, it's a fine clear day.

They have no further flights to Auckland scheduled for that Sunday. How do we get back to Auckland then, for work tomorrow? The answer is a shrug. I even rang Origin's Nelson office to try and find a reason. My call was answered by the world's most unhelpful airline staff member. When I asked why the flight had been cancelled, stranding the passengers she responded 'all airlines do that'. 'If you do what all airlines do, you will drive away customers and eventually go broke, as all airlines do' was my response. Couldn't have cared less.

So we booked for the entire weekend with this airline, yet never set foot on one of their planes. To be honest, if that was their attitude, they and their staff deserve no better than what they have got.

I accept that some people within Origin may have been hard working customer focused individuals, but they were certainly not in evidence during my one-and-only attempt to be a customer of their airline. Never again!

END OF RANT"

(Sorry about the thread deviation- back to Taum)