FLYING A TURBO PROP INTO QUEENSTOWN
Contributed by Air New Zealand Captain David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust? 🤔)
Melissa here. Our all time most read article (so far) was ‘How to Fly a Jet into Queenstown’ so we thought it was time to find out about how it’s done in a turboprop. David is a long time friend of John and when he approached David to write this article, he didn’t hesitate. Good friends count for everything!
Over to you, Dave!
Captain David Bowie concentrating on his job.
Prior to Jet operations into Queenstown, Turbo prop aircraft typically flew the route into Queenstown. Much has changed in more than 30 years flying into Queenstown -from just a small domestic terminal, to a large international terminal in addition to the installation of full air traffic control to manage the large volume of different aircraft types, which utilize the airspace around Queenstown.
The Turbo prop background into Queenstown has had a long history. Often flights would navigate under visual flight rules from Mount Cook/Manapouri/Christchurch, with mostly tourists. As mentioned previously, in Captain Dave Griffin’s article on Jet Operations into Queenstown, similar flight paths were flown either using Alexandra NDB, then visually to Queenstown, or in later years, the VOR approach to Queenstown, which greatly reduced the amount of visual flying required.
Queenstown Airport
A quick history of Queenstown Airport - courtesy of Wikipedia.
Queenstown Airport was first licensed to operate in 1935, but it was not until the 1950s that commercial flights became commonplace, particularly commercial sightseeing operations to Milford Sound.
A regular scenic route between Queenstown and Dunedin was first established by Southern Scenic Air Services Ltd on 17 July 1950. In the 1960s, the original grass runway was lengthened. Mt Cook Airlines was the pioneer of tourist flights into Queenstown. Regular services from Christchurch began on 6 November 1961, operating DC-3s with three flights a week on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to Queenstown via Aoraki/Mt Cook and onto Te Anau/Manapouri.
Ansett New Zealand introduced the first jet aircraft flights into Queenstown Airport in 1989 using BAe 146 aircraft.
In 1995, Air New Zealand began operating Queenstown Airport's first trans-Tasman flight from Sydney. Since then, an almost continuous expansion programme began to cater to passenger and airline demand.
In 2010, runway lighting was installed to enhance low-visibilty operations during daytime. In 2012, the airspace around Queenstown was redesigned to allow for ‘Required Navigation Performance, Authorisation Required (RNP AR) operations.
In November 2015, Queenstown Airport commenced a $17 million series of major airfield infrastructure improvements designed to improve operations for evening flights in winter 2016 and improve overall safety and efficiency of operations.
In May 2014, CAA and it’s Australian counterpart, CASA, approved Queenstown Airport's foundation safety case for after-dark flights, reliant on some additional infrastructure, including upgraded runway lights and widening the main runway to 45 metres (148 ft). On 4 May 2016, the airport's runway lights were officially switched on. The runway lighting allowed the airport to extend operations beyond sunset to its 10:00 pm noise abatement curfew.
The first after-dark flight was a Jetstar flight from Melbourne on 24 June 2016.
ATR 72-600 - today's lady of the skies
PLANNING AND FLYING ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES USING SATELLITE NAVIGATION
Turbo prop aircraft flight planning starts with a careful analysis of Queenstown winds at various levels; surface wind, 2,000 foot winds and winds on the approach, and up to 10,000 feet.
The ATR 72-600 is certified to fly in moderate turbulence and requires the autopilot to be engaged during the approach and departure. During the construction of the RNP- AR approach, assumptions were made about winds to be encountered. An ‘abnormal’ wind model of 100 knots was used to ensure the aircraft could remain tracking in the worst of winds. However, consideration is generally given to avoiding Queenstown when the winds are greater than 60 knots at 10,000 feet, thus avoiding the worst of turbulence.
Like Jets, Turbo prop aircraft have to be flown carefully from the start of the approach – not too fast - generally about 180 knots. Icing can also present real challenges, as the reserve of power is not as great on Turbo prop versus Jet aircraft.
At the final approach fix, we are fully configured for landing – about 130 knots. The ATR has a free power turbine propeller and copes well with windshear. However, it is very susceptible to undulating mountain waves, and ice on the wings, reduces performance.
ATR RNP (AR) Departure Chart
DEPARTURES
The ATR 72-600 is required to fly at V2+ 5 to 4,000 feet. Flying at critical speeds for extended periods requires the use of “windshear techniques” in rough weather to keep airspeed safe. Due to poorer climb performance, off runway 23, we follow a very specific GPS path, circling around Deer Park Heights prior to set heading down the southern arm of Lake Wakatipu.
The avionics on the ATR are very modern. If an engine failure or fire is detected once airborne, a completely new flight plan is automatically populated in the Flight Management System which just requires “execution”. This also will see us flying down the southern arm of Lake Wakatipu on an engine failure procedure, that sees us going to Invercargill as low as 5200 feet.
Queenstown rated crew require specialist training in the simulator every six months to ensure currency in the challenging conditions of the Queenstown mountains.
