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Sustaining the Kiwi aerospace industry The theme for the 2020 RAeS (NZ Division) Symposium held at Wellington on From his work office and using the power partners for technology transfers. 30 October was Sustaining Aviation – Economics, Technology, People. While of Zoom, Scott Smith of Beca looked at We have established a world-leading the basic theme was aviation, the scope of discussion as allowed by the what sustainability actually means, and who space regulatory system, making access to organising committee expanded to include subjects that are more aerospace is responsible for its delivery where it affects space launches easier for customers. Already in nature. The format followed the previous year with four sessions comprising buildings. payload permits and approvals to launch in New Zealand have been issued to businesses short presentations by several speakers and then a panel discussion. To explain sustainability in understand- able language, he used the example of the in 10 overseas countries, mainly in the USA. Paul Harrison reviews the day’s proceedings. humble coffee cup, starting with its con- In the future it will be one of the largest Air New Zealand update now relying heavily on government funding. struction—ceramics, paper, Styrofoam—is economic sectors in our country, with down- The opening address from Capt David Public safety and security of aviation are it reusable or suitable for recycling and how stream opportunities creating jobs across Morgan, Air New Zealand’s chief opera- paramount for the CAA, which has adopted much waste was generated in its manufac- numerous sectors. tional integrity and safety officer, outlined a collegiate approach involving all aviation ture? From a socially acceptable position, The current operations of Airways NZ the events of 2020 that severely impacted industry participants. Regulations should be who manufactured the cup, was it a good and its future directions were described the current and future operations and shape practical and implemented with the support employer using accepted production prac- by Mark Blanchard, head of Policy and of our national airline. The major impact on of those who need to apply them. The CAA tices? A cultural consideration is required Standards, who said the vision of Airways Air NZ operations from Covid-19 occurred focus is now intelligence and risk-based for the coffee experience: do people want was to create the aviation environment of only over the past nine months and has been technology assessments for the formulation coffee that is kept hot, therefore needing a the future that will ensure safe aerospace dramatic. The first long-haul route to be of or changes to regulations. metal cup? operations within the country. cancelled was to Shanghai in late January. For example, an operation might not be All these principles have to be applied to “Is it going to return to normal? The totally compliant, but if there is no risk, why sustainable building design and construc- answer is no, but the reality is that change compel it to change the rules? If there is risk tion, including carbon emissions and the must be made to pivot towards the new nor- then the organisation will be consulted to re- wellbeing of those working in it for the life mality.” He told the audience that globally duce the risk. An inspection and monitoring of the building. air passenger traffic was down 60 percent team has been established within the CAA to One of the projects using these principles and tourism across the world was down follow up on areas of concern, with the team that Beca has been involved with was the $1.2bn. Air NZ has parked up many of its visiting industry on a more regular basis. Christchurch Airport upgrade, requiring larger leased aircraft such as the B777-200 The CAA has encouraged staff to adopt a the incorporation of sustainable features in- and some B777-300s. “curious nature” strategy, following the fu- cluding access to the aquifer for the building Air cargo was now its highest priority, a ture of aviation technology so it can become cooling, positioning of taxiways and gates to complete flip from the standard airline busi- more agile in advising and communicating reduce aircraft movement, and passenger ness model’s hierarchal order: scheduled on these changes. flow within the terminals. Renovation work air transport, non-scheduled air transport, The CAA response to Covid-19 included also took into consideration benefits that Photographs: Paul Harrison scheduled air freight, non-scheduled air a relief package covering a wide range of re- could be given to the construction workers, quirements for operators, such as required and in the new accommodation how occu- freight, charter. Mark Blanchard One of the more interesting outcomes of overseas simulator training for commercial pants would feel comfortable. the Covid-19 impact on business within New operators, giving them extensions where A holistic review of airport construction Covid-19 has been financially devastating Zealand has been the remote operations by possible to current clearances. was needed because of the many activities for Airways in terms of revenue generated, many using Zoom, video conferencing and Closely working with companies devel- occurring at the site—from aircraft opera- but this has not detracted from the require- other technologies. This has resulted in less oping UAV platforms in New Zealand is tions, passenger movement, cargo handling ment of providing customers the safety internal business air travel as face-to-face another important field. Drones are a future and support services, all requiring a sustain- levels they need. Income has plummeted meetings can now be carried out remotely. transport system that the government is able outcome. Beca uses carbon emissions as by 50 percent and is expected to remain Government policy intervention is neces- keenly interested in, and the CAA is mon- the base for working out how to reduce the at that level until mid-2021, and current sary to ensure sustainability of air transport. itoring and working with industry as they impact of these emissions, to meet reduction predictions do not see Airways returning a For example, emission restriction intentions are introduced worldwide. initiatives required by government. profit until 2023. and the requirement to replace existing air- One of the entertaining presentations Since Covid-19 struck, Airways has craft with thos e achieving more stringent of the day came from MOD senior analyst Session Two: Economics focused on several strategic objects such emission standards and therefore reduced Stuart Boag who described how in rela- Covering the opportunities offered by as the safety culture programme, airspace carbon footprints will have an impact on air- tive terms defence spending, both in New New Zealand in the space arena, Dr Peter optimisation, ATS systems transformation lines. Such policies must include assistance Zealand and the western world, has steadily Crabtree, GM Science, Innovation and and creating digital solutions for ATC. to airlines to accommodate these new direc- declined over the past few decades. National International of MBIE, reviewed some of the The transition of Airways’ operations tions, and Air NZ is asking the government to defence resources now have to make hard projects currently underway in our country. to two new buildings at Auckland and realise that aviation is unique, and the airline choices between capability, availability, sus- Christchurch is well underway, with initial supports the establishment of a special task tainability or currency, or have governments commissioning due in early 2022 and full force in New Zealand to look after all the make the choice for them. completion of these changes by 2024. aviation industry as it moves towards better Shaun Johnson, CEO of the recently sustainability. formed (17 August 2020) company Apollo The relatively short domestic routes in Flight Research NZ, based at Nelson and New Zealand put the country in a good po- a trading company of Merlin Labs USA, sition to use new generation hybrid/electric presented an overview of the current ac- powered aircraft, and Air NZ is working with tivities of the company which concentrates several overseas aviation companies to see on installing hardware and software to where this can be progressed. existing airframes for autonomous freight Capt Morgan also acknowledged that operations. staffing reductions were still ongoing with Working with Hawk Eye, the joint ven- the announcement on 29 October that a ture will receive $3m from the New Zealand further 380 airline staff had been made government to further develop software to redundant. enable unmanned airfreight operations with Peter Crabtree existing aircraft types, with an operation run Session One: Setting the Scene out of Nelson and initial flights to Westport David Harrison, CAA manager Licensing Stuart Boag Christchurch-based Dawn Aerospace and Christchurch. The Apollo Aviation pro- and Standards, opened the first session with launched UAV Aurora II a few months ject will take place over at least two years, a description of the role of the CAA as regu- From 1989 until 2020 the percentage of ago with a 50km range with repeated daily carrying an onboard safety pilot in all the lator in the current environment. The CAA defence spending as part of the New Zealand flights. It is working on the concept of a early phases and will create up to 10 jobs has recently undergone a significant cultural GDP reduced from 4.5 percent to under 3 larger vehicle to fly up to 100km and go to in the short term and between 25 and 40 and organisational review, important to its percent. The cost of military hardware, es- altitudes where it could launch vehicles into permanent jobs as the project develops. sustainability in the future and its relation- pecially aircraft, has increased dramatically space orbit.

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