Service as normal: CEO

Charlie Anderson

Air Wanganui, which operates medical and charter flights from its Wanganui base, is unsure when one of its two planes will be back in service.

The company's Piper Mojave was forced to make an emergency landing at Paraparaumu last Tuesday when its left engine developed a fault.

As well as the pilot, there was a flight nurse and patient on board the flight from Wanganui to Wellington.

This week Air Wanganui chief executive Charlie Anderson said the twin-engine Mojave was still out of service and he was not sure when it would return.

The company's other plane, a King Air C90 turboprop, was being serviced last week, which was why the Mojave was making the flight. The King Air was back in service on Monday.

"Health services have not been compromised, as other operators have helped out," Mr Anderson said.

There were no immediate plans to replace the piston-engine Mojave with another turboprop aircraft "but the boys would love another jet".

"I imagine another turboprop would be on the cards down the track."

Mr Anderson said, until recently, Air Wanganui has been the only operator with a dedicated back-up aircraft, or maintenance spare plane to carry on its medical flights.

"All in all, there's been no problem supplying service."

He said during last week's incident, pilot Nathan Mauchline carried out a "well practiced" routine and feathered the propeller on the failed engine.

Rather than carry on to land in Wellington "where the weather wasn't very good", Airways NZ diverted the plane to Paraparaumu.

Mr Anderson said, while incidents like that were "bloody annoying", pilots were constantly practicing procedures for such an eventuality.

Medical flights to Wellington were almost a daily routine for Air Wanganui.

Air Wanganui provides a nationwide charter and air ambulance service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both its twin-engine planes are fully pressurized and have full intensive care facilities.

Source:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz