Parakai Aerodrome

is a general aviation (GA) airfield on the North Western edge of Auckland, New Zealand, close to the town of Parakai and 2 nautical miles (3.8 km) northwest of Helensville at the southern end of the Kaipara Harbour.

History

The Helensville Aero Club operated from an airstrip in Helensville from the 1940s, moving to Parakai during the 1960s. Starting with a grass surface, the runway was realigned and built up with limestone during the 1980s to make it usable all year round. Services provided: Flight training by various clubs and flying schools, taking students from Ab Initio through to Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) level. Commercial flights to Great Barrier Island. Private aircraft hangarage. Intensive Skydiving operations built up from 1986 and in 2003 the NZ Skydiving Championship was held at Parakai Airfield.

Present day

Parakai Airfield is one of three GA airfields serving light aircraft in Auckland, along with Ardmore Airport to the south east and North Shore Airfield to the north east of the city. Flight Training in Sport Aircraft is provided. The airfield is base for Leading Edge Aviation Ltd aircraft engineers and agents for DynAero aircraft, Aerial Imagery aerial photographers, Blue Sky Skydivers, the Northland Microlight Club, and is the northern base for the Auckland Regional Microlight Aircraft Club (ARMAC). Most Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services are available including fuel Avgas and Mogas. Hangarage for private aircraft is provided in privately owned and FBO hangars. Space is available for building of private hangars.

Operational information

*Airfield elevation is 6ft AMSL
*Runway 07/25 is 760m of crushed limestone.
*Circuit: RWY 07 - left hand; RWY 25 - right hand
*Circuit height: 1000ft AMSL, all circuits to the north

The airfield is uncontrolled with mandatory radio calls on 119.1 within 10 nm of the airfield or when using the Parakai Low Flying area.

By road Parakai is 37 minutes from the Auckland CDB and 30 minutes from Silverdale.

Sources

*NZAIP Volume 4 AD
* [http://www.aip.net.nz/pdf/NZPI.pdf New Zealand AIP (PDF)]

External links

* [http://www.parakaiairfield.co.nz/ The Parakai Airfield Web Site]