Measuring wind speed and direction in real time is the next phase for assessing the viability of an airport at Tarras, Christchurch Airport (CIAL) has announced.

This week two solar-powered wind meters (anemometers) will be installed at the proposed airport’s 750-hectare site and a third will be sited on a neighbouring farm. The anemometers will sit atop masts and are the first phase of an automatic weather station (AWS).

“Weather conditions have a major influence on airport planning and to date our analysis has been undertaken using ten years’ worth of historical weather data that was modeled by NIWA,” CIAL project director Michael Singleton said. 

“This AWS will give us site-specific data to help us further analyse the potential runway alignments.”

Michael said the weather station is like those used at most operational airports.

“It will measure wind speed and direction, air pressure, temperature, humidity, rainfall, cloud cover and visibility,” he said.

“It will help further the deeper analysis of our two potential runway alignments and help us achieve our aim of establishing a preferred alignment by the end of this year.”

In September last year CIAL released a preliminary aeronautical assessment of the Tarras site which stated that the proposed airport would be able to serve short-haul international destinations such as Australia and parts of the Pacific.

The assessment said the site could support an airfield with a single runway of at least 2.2 kilometres and possibly up to three kilometres.

Two runway alignments have been identified in a preliminary aeronautical assessment.

CIAL revealed plans in July 2020 to develop a jet-capable airport at Tarras, after the company had spent $45M purchasing land bordered by State Highway 8 and 8A.

The controversial proposed airport has received backlash in the Tarras, Upper Clutha and wider Queenstown Lakes community, including from the Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) chief executive Glen Sowry, who says it is unclear why the well-served region would need an additional airport. 

Find more information about CIAL’s plans at Tarras on their website.

IMAGES: Supplied