Palmerston North Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Palmerston North Airport
Air traffic control tower for PMR/NZPM
IATA: PMR ICAO: NZPM
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Palmerston North City Council
Operator	Palmerston North Airport
Location	Palmerston North
Elevation AMSL	151 ft / 46 m
Coordinates	40°19′14″S 175°37′01″E / 40.32056°S 175.61694°E / -40.32056; 175.61694
Map
PMR Location in North Island
Runway
Runway Length Surface ft m 07L/25R 6,240 1,902 Asphalt 07R/25L 1,995 608 Grass
Statistics
Passengers (30 June 2018) 652,000 Movements 55,960
Source:

Palmerston North Airport Terminal Building, June 2015

Air New Zealand Link Beechcraft 1900 at Palmerston North Airport.

Air New Zealand Link ATR72-500 at Palmerston North Airport

Gulfstream G650 VP-CJR visiting the small regional airport late 2016

Palmerston North Airport (PMR/NZPM) is an important airport in New Zealand. It is located in the Manawatū-Whanganui region, near the city of Palmerston North. The airport was first known as Milson Aerodrome.

It serves Palmerston North City and the wider Central North Island area. The airport is about 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) northeast of Palmerston North's city center. It is fully owned by the Palmerston North City Council. The airport covers a large area of 208 hectares (about 514 acres).

Palmerston North Airport is one of New Zealand's busiest airports. In 2016, over 515,000 passengers used it. Each day, about 30 passenger flights arrive and depart. These flights connect to major cities like Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson, and Wellington. The airport also handles two cargo flights every night.

Airport Operations and Aircraft

The airport has two runways for planes to take off and land. One runway is sealed with asphalt and is 1,902 meters (6,240 feet) long. The other is a grass runway, 608 meters (1,995 feet) long. The grass runway is mainly used for smaller planes and flight training.

The airport is open 24 hours a day, every day. There are no curfews, which means planes can fly at any time. This makes it a key hub for cargo companies like Parcelair.

Common Aircraft at PMR

You can often see several types of aircraft at Palmerston North Airport. These include the ATR72 and Bombardier Q300 for passenger flights. For cargo, you'll see Boeing 737-400F planes.

Training aircraft like the Diamond DA40 and DA42 are also common. These are used by Massey University’s School of Aviation. The airport can also handle larger planes like the Airbus A320. Sometimes, flights from Wellington are diverted here if the weather is bad there.

Airport History

The first airfield at this location was built in 1931. It was a grass runway used only for private flights. Commercial flights started in 1936 with Union Airways. During World War II, the airport was also used by the military.

Growth and Upgrades

In the 1950s, the main runway was paved. A new terminal building was also constructed. In 1975, jet planes like the Boeing 737-200s began flying to Palmerston North.

A brand new terminal building was opened in 1992. A new taxiway, which helps planes move around the airport, was added in 1994. After these big improvements, international flights began in 1996. Airlines like Freedom Air flew to places like Brisbane and Sydney. Later, flights to Gold Coast, Melbourne, and Nadi were added.

Recent Developments

In 2003, a Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing 767-200 landed at the airport. This was a special event, as it was the first and only time a Boeing 767 landed there. Since 2008, there have been no regular international flights.

In 2014, the airport shared its plans for the future up to 2035. These plans include making the runway even longer and building another taxiway. In 2016, Parcelair started using bigger Boeing 737-400F planes for mail delivery. In 2018, construction began on a new taxiway called Taxiway Charlie.

World Record at the Airport

On May 17, 1998, a special event happened at the airport. Ten people worked together to pull a fully fueled Freedom Air Boeing 737-300 airplane. They pulled it over 100 meters (328 feet) in just 47 seconds! This amazing feat was recorded in the Guinness World Records. It celebrated the opening of the new runway extensions.

Airlines and Destinations

Passenger Flights

Cargo Flights