Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 26, 2018 22:15:32 GMT 12
Fellow aviators,
In our last email update bulletin, we mentioned the proposed restricted airspace area at Alexandra,
Central Otago. A commercial operator, Skybase, has applied for the designation of a restricted area to
segregate ‘beyond visual line of sight’ (BVLOS) trial flights from other aircraft. The proposed area
encompasses 500 sq kms of Central Otago countryside. A similar proposal for restricted airspace has
been lodged by another UAV company, Incredible Skies, and this request encompasses more than 800
sq kms of the scenic Hokianga Harbour area.
The consultation process for the Hokianga airspace has now closed, but the Alexandra consultation is
open for submissions until Wednesday 7 November. Despite several requests to extend the consultation period, the CAA initially declined to do so. However, it has reconsidered and said:
There have been several requests from users, as well as at the consultation meeting last Tuesday, for an extension to the cut-off date for submissions.
The cut-off date is extended until 5 p.m. on Wednesday 7 November 2018.
If you have received this email in your capacity as a representative of an organisation, it would be
appreciated if you would kindly forward the document to your members for comment and consideration.
More than 100 aviators with significant concerns about this proposal attended the public meeting in
Alexandra, hosted by the CAA.
Skybase wants to start commercially testing unmanned aircraft with wingspans from between 2.4m to
5m, but within a year wants to be flying aircraft with a wingspan of 12.8m. This larger aircraft is likely to be an unmanned PAC P-750 UAV, on which the Chinese AT 200 UAV is based. This UAV has a maximum take-off weight of 3.4 tonnes.
Although Skybase stated at the meeting that its technology is not experimental, it did admit under
questioning that it had lost two UAVs.
The GAA has considerable concerns around public safety, particularly to landowners and property. We
recently published an article on our website which outlines those concerns:
www.caa.gen.nz/hey-grab-airspace-nothing-money/
Skybase Chief Executive Michael Read, and CAA General Manager, GA, Steve Moore, suggested at the
consultation meeting that conditions could be imposed on Skybase’s operation, such as only operating
at night.
It would seem that neither of these two spokesmen from Skybase and the CAA have considered the risks involved in a fire starting as a result of a UAV crash at night, in tinder-dry tussock country, and how far it would spread before it could be fought by helicopters with monsoon buckets after dawn.
Aside from the public safety aspects of this proposal, there are at least 21 airstrips within the defined
area. All will be restricted in their use if this proposal succeeds.
In short, we do not consider this proposed area fit for purpose and nor do the Central Otago aviators
who have produced a submission template and information for making a submission, in Word format.
It’s attached.
The CAA’s proposed airspace restriction document forms part of this update PDF.
Unmanned Aircraft Integration Paper
We have received this from the Ministry of Transport:
Unmanned aircraft (UA) of all shapes and sizes will be an increasing feature of our aviation and transport system. UA have the potential to change how we move people and freight. They are already transforming how we undertake certain tasks across a wide range of sectors, and will continue to do so in ways we can’t even imagine today. UA will help to grow the already significant contribution the aviation sector makes to the New Zealand economy.
We are pleased to provide you with a draft of ‘Taking flight: an aviation system for the automated age’ for your consideration and comment.
The purpose of this document is to set a vision to enable a thriving, innovative and safe UA sector. It aims to provide a clear understanding of the government’s role, vision and priority areas to achieve the safe integration of UA into New Zealand’s aviation system.
The Ministry is seeking your feedback on the draft document and in particular the proposed approach to integrate unmanned aircraft into New Zealand’s aviation system and eventually the transport system as a whole.
We would like this to be the beginning of an ongoing open dialogue with the aviation sector about the
future of aviation in New Zealand, and the role you can play to help us achieve the vision.
If you are interested in commenting on the paper, please email your feedback to:
a.morrison@transport.govt by 11 October 2018.
We ask that your feedback be provided through the attached response template and incorporate all of your member’s feedback (if you are a group or association).
Following engagement we will provide submitters with a brief summary of the comments we received on the document. A final document will be provided to the Minister of Transport for his consideration and submission to Cabinet by the end of the year.
We are happy to meet with you and your organisation, where possible, to talk through the contents of the paper. Please let us know if you would like to meet.
If there is sufficient demand, we will also consider holding stakeholder forums. Could you please let us
know if you would be interested in attending a stakeholder forum, and if so, whether your preferred
Kind regards
Alec MorrisonPolicy AdviserMinistry of Transport – Te Manatū Waka| a.morrison@transport.govt.nz |
www.transport.govt.nz
Included in this PDF bulletin is the MoT draft UA Integration Paper. There is a separate feedback form in Word format.
Hover loading / unloading of passengers
On 18 September, the Director signed 19/EXE/1 which exempts the pilot-in-command of a helicopter
from the requirement in CAR 91.207(a)(2).
Its genesis was in an interpretation by CAA inspectors that rule 91.207 regarding wearing of seatbelts
precluded people entering or exiting a helicopter in the hover, as has been standard practice pretty
much since helicopters were invented. It is a workable outcome for the helicopter community, who
should be pleased that what they have been doing can now be done legally.
A copy of the exemption and its provisions is at the end of this update.
Kind regards
Des Lines and Brian Mackie
In our last email update bulletin, we mentioned the proposed restricted airspace area at Alexandra,
Central Otago. A commercial operator, Skybase, has applied for the designation of a restricted area to
segregate ‘beyond visual line of sight’ (BVLOS) trial flights from other aircraft. The proposed area
encompasses 500 sq kms of Central Otago countryside. A similar proposal for restricted airspace has
been lodged by another UAV company, Incredible Skies, and this request encompasses more than 800
sq kms of the scenic Hokianga Harbour area.
The consultation process for the Hokianga airspace has now closed, but the Alexandra consultation is
open for submissions until Wednesday 7 November. Despite several requests to extend the consultation period, the CAA initially declined to do so. However, it has reconsidered and said:
There have been several requests from users, as well as at the consultation meeting last Tuesday, for an extension to the cut-off date for submissions.
The cut-off date is extended until 5 p.m. on Wednesday 7 November 2018.
If you have received this email in your capacity as a representative of an organisation, it would be
appreciated if you would kindly forward the document to your members for comment and consideration.
More than 100 aviators with significant concerns about this proposal attended the public meeting in
Alexandra, hosted by the CAA.
Skybase wants to start commercially testing unmanned aircraft with wingspans from between 2.4m to
5m, but within a year wants to be flying aircraft with a wingspan of 12.8m. This larger aircraft is likely to be an unmanned PAC P-750 UAV, on which the Chinese AT 200 UAV is based. This UAV has a maximum take-off weight of 3.4 tonnes.
Although Skybase stated at the meeting that its technology is not experimental, it did admit under
questioning that it had lost two UAVs.
The GAA has considerable concerns around public safety, particularly to landowners and property. We
recently published an article on our website which outlines those concerns:
www.caa.gen.nz/hey-grab-airspace-nothing-money/
Skybase Chief Executive Michael Read, and CAA General Manager, GA, Steve Moore, suggested at the
consultation meeting that conditions could be imposed on Skybase’s operation, such as only operating
at night.
It would seem that neither of these two spokesmen from Skybase and the CAA have considered the risks involved in a fire starting as a result of a UAV crash at night, in tinder-dry tussock country, and how far it would spread before it could be fought by helicopters with monsoon buckets after dawn.
Aside from the public safety aspects of this proposal, there are at least 21 airstrips within the defined
area. All will be restricted in their use if this proposal succeeds.
In short, we do not consider this proposed area fit for purpose and nor do the Central Otago aviators
who have produced a submission template and information for making a submission, in Word format.
It’s attached.
The CAA’s proposed airspace restriction document forms part of this update PDF.
Unmanned Aircraft Integration Paper
We have received this from the Ministry of Transport:
Unmanned aircraft (UA) of all shapes and sizes will be an increasing feature of our aviation and transport system. UA have the potential to change how we move people and freight. They are already transforming how we undertake certain tasks across a wide range of sectors, and will continue to do so in ways we can’t even imagine today. UA will help to grow the already significant contribution the aviation sector makes to the New Zealand economy.
We are pleased to provide you with a draft of ‘Taking flight: an aviation system for the automated age’ for your consideration and comment.
The purpose of this document is to set a vision to enable a thriving, innovative and safe UA sector. It aims to provide a clear understanding of the government’s role, vision and priority areas to achieve the safe integration of UA into New Zealand’s aviation system.
The Ministry is seeking your feedback on the draft document and in particular the proposed approach to integrate unmanned aircraft into New Zealand’s aviation system and eventually the transport system as a whole.
We would like this to be the beginning of an ongoing open dialogue with the aviation sector about the
future of aviation in New Zealand, and the role you can play to help us achieve the vision.
If you are interested in commenting on the paper, please email your feedback to:
a.morrison@transport.govt by 11 October 2018.
We ask that your feedback be provided through the attached response template and incorporate all of your member’s feedback (if you are a group or association).
Following engagement we will provide submitters with a brief summary of the comments we received on the document. A final document will be provided to the Minister of Transport for his consideration and submission to Cabinet by the end of the year.
We are happy to meet with you and your organisation, where possible, to talk through the contents of the paper. Please let us know if you would like to meet.
If there is sufficient demand, we will also consider holding stakeholder forums. Could you please let us
know if you would be interested in attending a stakeholder forum, and if so, whether your preferred
location is Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch.
Alec MorrisonPolicy AdviserMinistry of Transport – Te Manatū Waka| a.morrison@transport.govt.nz |
www.transport.govt.nz
Included in this PDF bulletin is the MoT draft UA Integration Paper. There is a separate feedback form in Word format.
Hover loading / unloading of passengers
On 18 September, the Director signed 19/EXE/1 which exempts the pilot-in-command of a helicopter
from the requirement in CAR 91.207(a)(2).
Its genesis was in an interpretation by CAA inspectors that rule 91.207 regarding wearing of seatbelts
precluded people entering or exiting a helicopter in the hover, as has been standard practice pretty
much since helicopters were invented. It is a workable outcome for the helicopter community, who
should be pleased that what they have been doing can now be done legally.
A copy of the exemption and its provisions is at the end of this update.
Kind regards
Des Lines and Brian Mackie
