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Circuit and Operations:
Runway 07 from the South West (from the non traffic side). Click on the photo for a long view from the South. All circuits are to the north.
View from the North East, on right base for 25. All circuits are to the north. Avoid flying over Parakai or Helensville towns.
Availability: Available for general use, visitors welcome. Landing fees $10 by honesty box, $25 invoiced, per 24 hours use. 12 months unlimited landings $281.25. Overnight parking $10 by honesty box, $25 invoiced. Refer to the current NZAIP and NOTAMs (as per standard airmanship practice). Parakai's airfield identifer is NZPI. Google map and satellite view.
Elevation: 6 ft
Runway: 07 / 25 is 860m long, 740m x 8m of seal plus a 120m all-weather grass extension at the eastern end. Turn only at the ends.
Circuit direction: 07 Left hand, 25 Right hand. Circuit altitude 1000 ft for aircraft approaching at above 80kt. Circuit 500ft for aircraft 80kt and below, who must announce intentions, identify faster traffic and if necessary extend downwind to fit in with faster traffic when turning final.
Radio:
119.1 mhz (unattended).
For safety reasons all aircraft using the airfield must have a radio,
or be accompanied by a radio ship that makes calls for both.
Please turn the radio on before taxying and keep it on until shutdown,
for situational awareness.
Caution: High ground to the east. Mandatory turn on reaching the river after take-off runway 07.
VISITING PILOTS' NOTES: (Local Pilot's notes at base of this page.)
Situation: NZPI is an Auckland airfield accessible using the uncomplicated airspace and reporting points of Auckland's West Coast. Being at sea level it usually remains open even in humid northerly 'warm front' conditions. Visitors are welcome.
Airspace:
Lower level of Auckland controlled airspace over the field is 2500 ft,
and otherwise the airspace around the field is free of restrictions.
Facilities:
Avgas, Mogas, Courtesy Car for visiting aviators, Clubrooms with tea/coffee,
Icecreams and drinks at Skydive Base, Bunkroom, Kitchen, Hot Shower, Toilets,
Pilot Shop
ARRIVAL
From the South and West
Approaching through the Te Henga transit zone under the NZWP approaches,
stay at sea and below 1500 ft until past the Muriwai golf course, at which
point turn 15 degrees to the right and it is possible to climb to 2500
ft if necessary. Report position to 'Parakai Traffic' on 119.1 at Muriwai
Golf Course and at the large Glasshouses at Woodhill, and advise intentions.
Track initially towards Helensville town visible against the hills
to the north and down the western side of the Kaipara river to Parakai.
Normally join overhead for runway in use avoiding directly overflying
the towns of Parakai or Helensville. If skydiving is in progress radio
calls will be made by the jump ship, in which case fly round the airfield
well to the E or W and join base or downwind on the north side, rather
than overhead.
Approaching from the south, Helensville to the right and Parakai town to the top left.
From the North
Track down the eastern side of the Kaipara harbour, not above 2500 ft.
Report position to 'Parakai Traffic' on 119.1 abeam Shelly Beach and again
at the Kaipara River mouth and advise intentions. Track initially towards
Helensville town and Parakai Airfield will be found two miles up the river
towards Helensville on the western side. Normally join overhead for runway
in use. If skydiving is in progress radio calls will be made by the jump
ship, in which case join base or downwind on the north side, rather than
overhead.
From the East, and approaching from North Shore Airfield
Track to Kaukapakapa town and at the Kaukapakapa power pylons change from
NZNE frequency to 'Parakai Traffic' on 119.1 and report position and intentions.
Normally join overhead for runway in use. If skydiving is in progress
radio calls will be made by the jump ship, in which case join downwind
07 left hand, or from the north east for right base 25.
CIRCUIT PROCEDURES
Normal unattended airfield procedures apply. Joins can be overhead, base
or downwind unless Skydiving is in progress in which case the jump ship
will advise runway in use and you should join base from the north, or
downwind, rather than overhead. The runway at NZPI is aligned 07/25. All
circuits are to the north of the airfield, so the circuit direction is
lefthand for 07 and righthand for 25. No overhead joins or non-traffic
side joins if Skydiving is in progress.
Landing on 07: If 'going around' or 'touch and go', remember the mandatory left turn at the river.
FLY-INS... if landing traffic density is high, exit left onto the grass taxiway, or if the ground is soft land long and roll ahead onto the raised grass runway extension off the end of 07 and hold in the grassed turning circle to backtrack as a group when there is a gap in landing traffic.
Late final 07 [Guillemin photo]
Landing on 25: When runway 25 is in use, many pilots prefer to fly a gently curving turn from early right base to late final so as to descend over low farmland rather than the higher forest.
DEPARTURE
Takeoff on Runway 07: There is a mandatory left turn at the river. Climb out over the river.
Takeoff on 25: Right hand circuit.
FLY-INS; Use the grass taxiway, and hold clear of 25. Or if the ground is soft backtrack as a group and up to 8 aircraft can hold in the hard grass turning circle off the eastern end of the grassed runway extension, waiting their turn to line up.
To the South
and West
Track towards Muriwai beach not above 2500 ft, and be down to 1500 ft
and at sea
before passing the golf course at the south end of Muriwai Beach, to use
the Te Henga transit zone under the WP approaches. 1500 ft over the sea
will keep you clear of all Auckland area airspace restrictions as you
vacate to the south.
To the North
Depart not above 2500 ft. Be aware of the Military areas M101 and M103
for weapons firing at the south head of the Kaipara Harbour. To find out
when they are active, check the notams or monitor Seagrove FISB 126.8
which repeats at 5mts past each hour, then 15mts, 25mts etc... also, if
these areas are active red flags will be visible on the road near the
Green Rd corner at Parakai. If not sure, these danger areas can be avoided
by keeping to the eastern shore of the harbour and pass to the east of
Tapora town.
To the East,
and towards North Shore Airfield
Once clear of the circuit to the north, track
to Kaukapakapa town to the east and at Kaukapakapa power pylons report
vacating Parakai Traffic area to the east, change to 118.0 and advise
intentions to 'North Shore Traffic'.
Parakai Airfield office: Ph 09 420 8010 or 0800FlyWest.
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Local Pilots Notes, for Pilots based at Parakai:
Hard
Runway : Backtracking and taxiing on the runway is okay if traffic
is light, please turn only in the turning bays at the ends. In summer
use the grass taxiway when traffic is heavy. In winter stay on the hard
surfaces or you will get stuck, so when landing on 07 and needing to clear
the runway, roll ahead onto the hard grass extension with its turning
loop, and hold there.
Only aircraft, and Airfield Ops vehicles with flashing lights, may go
onto the runway.
Taking off : Turn on the radio before taxiing, do the checks and run-up clear of the runway, and line up only when ready to roll immediately. Climb straight out to well past the ends of the runway before turning. On 07 turn left at the river. On 25 turn right when you reach 500ft.
Circuit:
Planes to fly a standard circuit, 1000ft if faster than 80kt and 500ft
if slower. The 500ft traffic is to sequence behind the faster 1000ft traffic
when turning final, extending downwind if necessary to do this.
When Skydiving is in progress Rotorcraft must also fly the circuit, but
otherwise they can choose to join from the North at low altitude if they
do not intend to use the runway.
Noise : Be a good neighbour... those with noisy engines and fixed pitch props should reduce power once safe to do so, and resume the preferred climb rate once well clear. Those with fast propeller tips should get them sub-sonic a.s.a.p., discuss with Bryn Lockie (Engineer) or Dave Simpson (CFI) the best noise reduction engine ops and flight profile for CSUs and more complex aircraft. If doing repetitive flights vary the turning points and flight path. Noisy aircraft may need to fit extra sound reduction gear if quietness can't be achieved operationally.
Topdressing and Skydiving Ops : Commercial pilots flying these operations may sometimes fly a non-standard circuit or takeoff downwind, and they are sufficiently skilled to avoid conflict with normal ops when doing so. They will make radio calls so you know what they are doing, and other pilots should continue to fly a normal circuit.
Skydiving: When skydiving is in progress the jump ship will be making radio calls, and the parachute landing area will sometimes be marked off with cones.
When
this is the case:
Join downwind or base, with no overhead or non-traffic-side joins, and
no approaches direct from the North for rotorcraft. If approaching from
the south go around the airfield well clear of the circuit to the East
or West before joining base or downwind on the northern side. Ask the
jump ship to tell your the circuit in use if it is not obvious.
'Two minutes to drop' When this message is heard, no action is required, but take note that it will soon be followed by 'Canopies Away'.
'[number of] Canopies Away' call. When this is heard take note of the number of canopies, and if you are...
Taking Off: If already lined up or climbing out, then continue and vacate the circuit to the north.
Landing: If already established in the circuit on base or final, then land and vacate the runway clear of the parachute landing area. Or, do a Touch and Go and vacate the circuit to the north.
Others in the air should remain clear of the circuit or extend downwind, and those taxying should hold clear of the runway and away from the parachute landing area in front of the Skydive Building. Holding near the fuel pumps keeps you well clear.
Once you've got all the canopies in sight you can rejoin and land. If you can't find them, then join when the jump ship calls joining final or ask the jump ship to tell you when the jumpers are down. There may be drops from two heights eg 7500ft and 12,500ft, and if in doubt ask the Jump Ship to tell you when the first set of jumpers are down.
Special
Operational requirements for Paracute Jump Ships:
Once you have lifted off and can safely do so, use noise reduction ops
until you are out over the harbour, then back to your preferred climb.
If possible ask for an Air Traffic clearance to climb out up the harbour
to the north as far as Tapora before coming back for the drop, and vary
the flight path for consecutive flights. If there is a lot of activity
on the airfield then mark off the parachute landing area with cones, and/or
have ground staff out there to chase away other aircraft. Marking off
the landing area reserves it for the use of your aircraft and jumpers
only.
Please respond to any traffic radio calls as required to protect your
jumpers, and advise the runway you are using to aircraft joining so they
do not feel the need to join overhead to see the windsock. Do the usual
radio calls, and if dropping from more than one height advise "[number]
Canopies Away, xx minutes to next drop" or similar so that other
traffic knows it will be safe to join the circuit once they have found
the first group of canopies. When other traffic is in the circuit then
conform to circuit direction and be careful not to push in on other traffic
which may be flown by low hours students who need an uninterrupted approach.
Parakai Airfield: Manager: Ph '0800FlyWest'. Clubrooms: Ph 09 420 8010.