Alexandra Aerodrome facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexandra Aerodrome
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Central Otago District Council | ||||||||||||||||||
| Serves | Alexandra, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 752 ft / 229 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 45°12′42″S 169°22′24″E / 45.21167°S 169.37333°E | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runway | |||||||||||||||||||
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Alexandra Aerodrome is a small airport located in Alexandra, New Zealand. It is about 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) north of the town. This aerodrome helps connect the Central Otago region to other parts of New Zealand. It is mainly used for smaller planes and flight training today. Its airport codes are ALR (IATA) and NZLX (ICAO).
History of Alexandra Aerodrome
Alexandra Aerodrome has been used by different airlines over the years. From December 1960 to February 1966, South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand (SPANZ) flew Douglas DC-3 planes here.
Later, Mount Cook Airlines used smaller Britten-Norman Islander planes. They operated flights from 1969 to 1991. These flights connected Alexandra to cities like Dunedin and Queenstown.
Other airlines also flew into Alexandra for shorter periods. Goldfields Air operated flights to Christchurch in 1985-1986. Pacifica Air flew here in 1988-1989, and Airlink in 1989.
In 2007 and 2008, Mainland Air tried offering regular flights. These flights went from Dunedin to Alexandra and Queenstown. However, not enough people used these services, so they stopped.
Mainland Aviation College, which is part of Mainland Air, also started a flight training school here in 2009. This college no longer operates in Alexandra. Today, the Central Otago Flying Club uses a single Cessna 172 plane for flight training at the aerodrome.
How Planes Use the Aerodrome
Pilots follow specific paths when taking off and landing at an airport. This is called the "circuit." Different types of aircraft use different circuits at Alexandra Aerodrome.
- For powered aircraft (like regular planes):
* They use runways 01/19 and 32 for left-hand circuits. * They use runway 14 for right-hand circuits.
- For gliders and tug planes (which pull gliders):
* They use runway 14 for left-hand circuits. * They use runway 32 for right-hand circuits.
The aerodrome also provides fuel for aircraft. This includes Mobil Aerostop, Jet A1, and Avgas100. BP Jet A1 fuel is also available. There is also a fire safety service (RFS CAT1) located near the terminal building.
