From the moment new entrants step into the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy (NZICPA) complex at Whanganui, they are treated as pilots—albeit without the degree of knowledge and experience they will have when they finally leave.
“From day one we treat each student as a pilot and instil a sense of discipline and physiological attitudes to reaching their end goal of being a professional commercial pilot,” says Phil Bedford, CEO of the academy.
The students are required to wear and keep their uniforms in immaculate order and are issued with electronic passes to access the various training and flight operations areas within the complex, depending on the progress of their training.
The NZICPA evolved from the 2015 purchase of Flight Training Manawatu by the Whanganui District Council Holdings Company, which saw an opportunity to bring flight training to the local airport and to increase the economic wellbeing of the district. A new $2.4m purpose-designed academy has been built at the northwestern end of Whanganui Airport near the existing Air Wanganui hangar.
Centred on the large hangar housing up to 12 training aircraft, the administration, training and flight operations offices form the northwestern and northern sides of the complex, with the administration and flying instructors’ offices separate from the general trainee accessed areas.
Modern classrooms, a lunch room with outdoor patio, and toilets including shower facilities, form the northern side of the complex. Still to be completed adjacent to the patio area will be a volleyball court to encourage physical fitness as well as team building.
The operations wing has controlled access for only those students scheduled for simulator training or flight instruction. Within this area are individual briefing rooms, two simulators, the CFI’s office and the dispatcher’s office which has views of the airfield and the active runways, as well as oversight of the internal hangar space. The primary access to the hangar and the operational airfield is also in this area, again simulating what would be experienced at most commercial airports.
Currently 50 students from New Zealand, India, Oman, China, Malaysia, Fiji, Sri Lanka and PNG are undertaking training up to CPL, with multi-engine ratings to either CAANZ standards or the equivalent of their home country civil aviation authority requirements. Others are on the C category instructor course.
The overseas and some of the local students are housed in leased accommodation or with homestays in Whanganui. Pastoral care for students is provided by staff member Tracy Bedford.
The academy has two simulators, a Frasca 141 and a Ruscool RC90. Practical flight training is carried out in a fleet of up to 15 aircraft including Cessna 152s, Diamond DA20s, Cessna 172s, a Partenavia PA-68 and a Cirrus.
In addition to the CAA certificated aviation training Part 141 entitlement, the academy also holds Part119/135 certificates as well as the necessary PTE and Ministry of Education qualifications. Instruction is delivered by 10 B and C category instructors on the permanent staff, with another four contracted C category instructors, all supported by the CEO and three administration staff.
Local training areas have been established to the west and northwest of Whanganui, and training is also conducted over a range of terrain from coastal to hilly country to the east.
“Our philosophy is to value a student’s goals, aspirations and needs foremost, and consistently create the most achievable pathway to a successful aviation career,” says Phil Bedford.
- Report and photography by Paul Harrison.