Wellington Airport completes major runway upgrade

Wellington Airport has completed installation of innovative new runway safety zones today, with energy absorbing blocks now in place at each end of the airport runway.

The engineered materials arresting system (EMAS) provides additional safety in the unlikely event of an accidental aircraft overrun. 

It also effectively extends the usable length of the runway by optimising space between the safety zones, providing a landing distance increase of 143m and a take-off distance increase of 37m. 

Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke says it has been a complex project requiring a lot of careful planning.

“In a way, physically installing the blocks was the easy part. Much harder was the planning and coordination required to realign the underground lighting, navigation aids, runway entrances and exits, and flight procedures. 
                
“Most of this work had to be done between 1am and 6am to avoid impacting flight operations, and the final changeover last night was the most complicated part of the whole project with around 80 people involved. 
                
“All of our line markings had to be updated in one go, for which we used 15 line marking trucks – pretty much every crew available in the lower North Island. 

“We planned and rehearsed the sequence of everything to the minute to ensure we were all set for flights to begin on the new settings from 6am this morning.  

“We want to thank everyone involved in this project including our airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority, Airways, the New Zealand Airline Pilots Association, Runway Safe, and our contractors and advisors who worked tirelessly while the city slept.”

The new runway dimensions mean Wellington Airport is now capable of handling next generation widebody aircraft non-stop from major hubs in Asia and North America, while enabling full passenger loads on outbound services to destinations which were previously out of reach. 

“We’re not announcing new services at this stage, but the Wellington region is the largest market in Australasia without a direct connection to Asia. The turbulence currently felt by the travel industry will settle in time and we can all look forward to celebrating the arrival of long-haul flights to the capital when the time is right.”  

Each EMAS bed is around 55 by 90 metres and made up of more than 3000 individual blocks which were manufactured in the United States and shipped to Wellington last year. 

Preparation on the project began in April last year. It has been completed a week ahead of schedule and within the $35m budget. 

Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke next to the completed EMAS bed