9 Apr 2020 NSS Key Messages and Covid-19 Update

Please find the NSSWG Key Messages here from the last NSSWG meeting held on 17 February.

Due to the upheaval caused by Covid-19 we have only just been able to place the key messages on the NSS website.  Getting the ADS-B Grant Scheme underway was our top priority.

‘How the world has changed in just 20 days’ would be most people’s response to reading where we were when the key messages were put together.  There have been many changes in just the last week or so, including a review of infrastructure projects by Airways and a halt to the construction of the Otago weather radar being built by Metservice.

One of those changes has been the move of Virgin Australia out of New Zealand. We would like to thank Kurt Frauenstein, Virgin Australia, for his contribution to the NSS Working Group. Kurt has had to stand down in light of Virgin Australia’s withdrawal.  Kurt has been an enthusiastic and dedicated member of the Working Group.  Our sincere thanks to Kurt for his contribution to the aviation system benefit delivery and we wish him and his family all the very best at this challenging time.

We will shortly be taking stock of the programme in light of stakeholder announcements and other correspondence.  Once we have done that we will provide you with updated information on where we are at. Our priorities remain clear – to deliver ADS-B as the primary surveillance system in New Zealand, and delivery of the PBN rules.

In the meantime, thanks to our stakeholders who helped us get the ADS-B Grant Scheme underway ahead of schedule. In particular, the support from AOPA, Aviation Community Advisory Group (ACAG) membership and Aviation New Zealand was really appreciated.

Due to the disruption caused by Covid-19, we have extended the timeframe between applying and claiming the ADS-B Grant from 6 to 12 months. We have the following advice for operators:

This will allow greater flexibility when booking your installation with a workshop. Once you have a date confirmed with your avionics provider, apply online at ads-b.aviation.govt.nz, and your funds will be reserved for up to a year. There is no necessity to have made any financial transaction on ADS-B equipment to enter the scheme. We do understand that in the current climate the booking dates may have to be changed if New Zealand is still in lockdown.