Anzac Parade

Anzac Day has arrived again so join us for our yearly Anzac Parade event.

Every year on Anzac Day we celebrate the strong connection between New Zealand and Australia and remember all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

As part of that, each year VATNZ and VATPAC hold an Anzac Parade event between Auckland and Sydney as our way to commemorate and remember.

Fly from New Zealand's busiest airport (Auckland, NZAA) to Australia's busiest airport (Sydney, YSSY) or in the other direction and if you rush you can get a return trip in.

Auckland deals with around 180,000 movements a year while Sydney gets a staggering 330,000 a year which is an average of 34 movements an hour. Everyone get your aircraft out of the hangar and let's get more movements than the real airports! 

You will also get to experience Oceanic procedures with both Auckland and Brisbane radio positions planning to be staffed.

Oceanic Airspace

Normal ATC throughout New Zealand rely on radar to determine where an aircraft is in the air. Over the ocean however, there is no radar. This non-radar airspace is controlled by oceanic ATC.

All Oceanic Controlled Airspace in New Zealand is controlled from Auckland, so New Zealand's oceanic ATC is called "Auckland Radio".

One of the significant differences between radar and Oceanic flying is the need for position reports. 

Position reports are how ATC can determine where you are. Position reports contain estimates for waypoints, speeds, altitudes and any other information. Because there is no radar over the ocean, ATC relies on time-based separation and reports from the pilots. ATC has no way of determining where you are unless you specifically tell them.

The standard format is:

• Current/Previous waypoint name and the time which you crossed that point.
• Current flight level.
• Mach number if assigned by ATC.
• Your next waypoint and estimate for that point.
• The waypoint after that.

For example: "Qantas 123 is position PLUGA at time 0523, flight level 380, estimating VELKU at 0750, SASRO next."

So read up on your position reporting and to assist you with position reports, feel free to use the Oceanic Reporting Tool.

You can also find more info on our Oceanic FAQs page

Routing

ATC