Microlight flying gets safety boost
22 Feb 2018
MEDIA RELEASE FROM AIRWAYS NEW ZEALAND AND CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT
Scholarship recipient Shaun Sutherland will use the fund to launch his Aero Club In a Box concept – a fully compliant safety management system and student training syllabus that will be available free to microlight organisations nationally.
Mr Sutherland says cost and a lack of resource means many microlight clubs are operating without proper safety management and training systems, resulting in the sector being overrepresented in aviation incident statistics.
“Not having robust safety systems in place is putting operators at risk,” he says. “As microlight flying is fast becoming the first choice for recreational flyers, it’s imperative that clubs and their members are operating within acceptable industry standards.”
Aero Club In a Box provides organisations with the tools they need to easily implement a health and safety system, operations manuals, maintenance manuals and a student training syllabus. Mr Sutherland has 30 years’ aviation experience and operates his own microlight flying school in Whangarei.
The $5,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a person or project that is helping to build greater aviation safety in New Zealand. The diverse range of applications received this year reflect the innovative work that is happening in this space throughout the industry, Airways GM Air Traffic Services Tim Boyle says.
“Aero Club In a Box will make a tangible contribution to raising the standard of safety in the microlight and recreational flying sector, making Shaun a very deserving winner.”
Ford Robertson, Christchurch Airport Manager of Aviation Safety and Security says: “Shaun demonstrated to the selection panel his real passion for aviation safety, particularly in the microlight sector. We wish him well for what he wants to achieve with the scholarship in raising safety awareness for this industry – and making it freely available."
The Jilly Murphy Memorial scholarship was established jointly by Christchurch Airport and Airways in 2013 to honour Christchurch Airport based Air Traffic Controller Jilly Murphy, who died in central Christchurch during the earthquake on February 22, 2011. Jilly worked for Airways for 20 years as a highly skilled controller, with a passion for aviation safety.
For more information please contact
Emma Lee
Communications Advisor
Airways New Zealand
P: 021 438 243
E: communications@airways.co.nz
About Airways New Zealand
Airways New Zealand is world-leading provider of air traffic management services and a key enabler of the region’s aviation system, optimising air traffic flows across the entire aviation network. We are responsible for one of the largest Flight Information Regions in the world of 30 million square kilometres, and we manage more than 1 million air traffic movements per year.
Airways operates in New Zealand as a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE). We also provide air traffic control and engineering training, and have delivered air traffic management, Flightyield revenue management solutions, navigation services and consultancy in more than 65 countries.
For more information please visit www.airways.co.nz
About Christchurch Airport
Christchurch Airport is the international gateway to the South Island.
It is the busiest and most strategic southern air connection to the world's trade and tourism markets, welcoming more than 6.7 million passengers in the past year.
The airport is a major driver of the South Island regional economy, with some 6,000 personnel working on the airport campus making it the largest site of employment in the South Island.
It is one of the partners in the ‘South’ initiative, which sees all 13 regional tourism organisations working collegially to promote the South Island in key international markets.
Christchurch Airport is consistently rated by an independent international quarterly travelers' survey as the best airport in Australia and New Zealand.