Whanganui District Council says it is closely scrutinising the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy (NZICPA) following a directive by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ground all its aircraft, pending further review.
Whanganui’s Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the Council’s chief executive met with the NZICPA board and senior executives to demand answers following the CAA audit, which identified concerns relating to maintenance practices and record-keeping processes at the school.
“We have been working hard to keep rates low so any decision on how we move forward cannot be at the cost of the ratepayer,” said Mayor Andrew Tripe.
“The safety of academy staff and students and the wider community is a top priority. If NZICPA has not followed the correct processes in relation to this, tough questions will be asked and need to be answered.”
The council fully supports the CAA review, which will continue this week. In addition, NZICPA will undertake an independent review, under the guidance of CAA, which is expected to take several months.
“We will await the outcomes of those reviews before agreeing a course of action with NZICPA – but any additional financial burden on ratepayers is non-negotiable and safety remains paramount,” says Mayor Tripe.
The CAA has prohibited use of NZICPA’s aircraft, however, land-based training continues at the academy.
Whanganui District Council undertook a detailed review of its council-controlled organisations in 2023. Since then the NZICPA board has been working hard to grow student numbers and return the business to profit. In recent months, it has delivered a modest profit as its two accommodation centres reach full capacity, the Council said.
“We’ve asked the NZICPA board to deliver a robust action plan that will ensure the academy can return to profitability without further costs to ratepayers,” said Mayor Tripe.
The academy is an important part of Whanganui’s social and economic landscape. It was purchased by the council in 2017 as a strategic asset to drive economic development, and produces skilled pilots for both domestic and international markets.
Whanganui Airport is the fifth busiest airport in New Zealand, based on number of landings, largely due to volume of flying at the academy.
