Details of Flight over Oamaru, 19 March 2024, 9:30am
Mr French made this Official Information request to Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
The request was partially successful.
From: Mr French
Dear Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand,
In your "Transparency Statement" (https://www.aviation.govt.nz/assets/abou...), you state that you "actively gather [information] during our surveillance and monitoring work".
Therefore, I request that you provide all the information that you hold on a circular flight over Oamaru / coastal North Otago recorded on 19 March 2024 at 9:30am (see link below). Specifically, I request the following information -
- The airport or airfield from which the flight departed
- The airport or airfield where the flight landed
- The flight number
- The registration details of the aircraft
- The make and model of the aircraft
- The name and position of the person who authorised the flight
- The name of the entity responsible for the flight
- The specific details of the substance or substances emitted from the aircraft during the flight (as seen on the video referenced below - clearly *not* a vapour trail)
- The name and position of the person who authorised the release of the said substance or substances during the flight
- The purpose of the flight and its emissions.
If you are not able to provide some of the above information, I request that you advise me who I should address an additional OIA request to.
A seven-minute video of the flight, recorded from near SH 1, Reidston, 11 km south of Oamaru, can be viewed or downloaded from this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/er6l4kkc3...
Other, shorter videos of the flight are also available on request.
Yours faithfully,
Mr French
From: OIA
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
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25 OIR 004 Transfer Letter Mr French.pdf
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Kia ora Mr French,
Please find enclosed CAA correspondence regarding your information
request.
Ngâ mihi
Talia Rachel Zachariah (she/her)*
Official Information Advisor | Kaitohutohu
Legal Services Unit | LSU
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand | Aviation Security Service
Te Mana Rererangi Tûmatanui o Aotearoa | Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi
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recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please
immediately notify the sender and delete it from your system.
*If you’re wondering about the use of the pronouns she/her on this
signature, [3]read this article about how sharing pronouns in this way can
help create an inclusive and safe environment for transgender and
nonbinary colleagues
This e-mail (and its accompanying attachments) is intended for the named
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and may be subject to legal privilege. Any classification marking must be
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must not distribute or copy this e-mail or its attachments. The Civil
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References
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3. https://medium.com/gender-inclusivit/why...
From: Iwase, Naoka
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25 OIR 004 Transfer Letter Mr French.pdf
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Hi Mr French,
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible but in
any event no later than 13 August 2024 (being 20 working days after the
day your request was received) under the Official Information Act. If we
are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an
extension of that timeframe.
If you have any other queries, please feel free to contact me directly.
We will be in touch again if we require further information or
clarification.
Thank you.
Naoka Iwase | Legal Counsel / OIA Advisor
w: [1]www.airways.co.nz
From: OIA <[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2024 12:48 PM
To: [FOI #27566 email]
Cc: OIA <[email address]>
Subject: 25/OIR/004 | Transfer Letter
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Corporation. If you do
not recognise the sender or you are not certain that the content is safe,
then do not click on any links or open any attachments.
Kia ora Mr French,
Please find enclosed CAA correspondence regarding your information
request.
Ngā mihi
Talia Rachel Zachariah (she/her)*
Official Information Advisor | Kaitohutohu
Legal Services Unit | LSU
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand | Aviation Security Service
Te Mana Rererangi Tūmatanui o Aotearoa | Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi
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CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is confidential,
may be privileged and should be read or retained only by the intended
recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please
immediately notify the sender and delete it from your system.
*If you’re wondering about the use of the pronouns she/her on this
signature, [4]read this article about how sharing pronouns in this way can
help create an inclusive and safe environment for transgender and
nonbinary colleagues
This e-mail (and its accompanying attachments) is intended for the named
recipient only and may contain information that is provided in confidence
and may be subject to legal privilege. Any classification marking must be
adhered to. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender
and destroy the message. If you have received this message in error you
must not distribute or copy this e-mail or its attachments. The Civil
Aviation Authority accepts no responsibility for any changes made to this
message after the transmission from the Civil Aviation Authority. Before
opening or using attachments, check them for viruses and other effects.
This communication may be accessed or retained for information assurance
and cyber security purposes.
Your communications are important to us and we take appropriate
measures to access, store and scan for information assurance.
This electronic message together with any attachments is confidential. If
you receive it in error: (i) you must not use, disclose, copy or retain
it; (ii) please contact the sender immediately by reply email and then
delete the emails. Views expressed in this email may not be those of the
Airways Corporation of New Zealand Limited.
References
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1. http://www.airways.co.nz/
4. https://medium.com/gender-inclusivit/why...
From: Iwase, Naoka
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Hi Mr French,
Please find attached our response.
Thank you.
From: OIA <[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2024 12:48 PM
To: [FOI #27566 email]
Cc: OIA <[email address]>
Subject: 25/OIR/004 | Transfer Letter
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Corporation. If you do
not recognise the sender or you are not certain that the content is safe,
then do not click on any links or open any attachments.
Kia ora Mr French,
Please find enclosed CAA correspondence regarding your information
request.
Ngā mihi
Talia Rachel Zachariah (she/her)*
Official Information Advisor | Kaitohutohu
Legal Services Unit | LSU
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand | Aviation Security Service
Te Mana Rererangi Tūmatanui o Aotearoa | Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi
[1]image002 (2) [2]avsecSeal
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is confidential,
may be privileged and should be read or retained only by the intended
recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please
immediately notify the sender and delete it from your system.
*If you’re wondering about the use of the pronouns she/her on this
signature, [3]read this article about how sharing pronouns in this way can
help create an inclusive and safe environment for transgender and
nonbinary colleagues
This e-mail (and its accompanying attachments) is intended for the named
recipient only and may contain information that is provided in confidence
and may be subject to legal privilege. Any classification marking must be
adhered to. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender
and destroy the message. If you have received this message in error you
must not distribute or copy this e-mail or its attachments. The Civil
Aviation Authority accepts no responsibility for any changes made to this
message after the transmission from the Civil Aviation Authority. Before
opening or using attachments, check them for viruses and other effects.
This communication may be accessed or retained for information assurance
and cyber security purposes.
Your communications are important to us and we take appropriate
measures to access, store and scan for information assurance.
This electronic message together with any attachments is confidential. If
you receive it in error: (i) you must not use, disclose, copy or retain
it; (ii) please contact the sender immediately by reply email and then
delete the emails. Views expressed in this email may not be those of the
Airways Corporation of New Zealand Limited.
References
Visible links
3. https://medium.com/gender-inclusivit/why...
From: Mr French
Dear Naoka Iwase
Thank you for your response to my OIA request.
Airways NZ "provides air traffic management services" - as stated here: https://www.airways.co.nz/about/our-busi.... My OIA request asked for "all the information that you hold on a circular flight over Oamaru / coastal North Otago recorded on 19 March 2024 at 9:30am". Therefore, please respond to the following questions and requests.
Preamble:
If you view the entire 6 minutes and 50 seconds of the video link provided in my original request, you will notice that the plane appears to be heading in an approximate southerly direction then changes direction to the north (this can also be seen in two further videos - see Dropbox links below). You state that the plane is an Air New Zealand flight ANZ671 which departed Auckland Airport and landed at Dunedin Airport. As such it is "supposed to be" heading south to an airport that is south 128 km (by road) away.
Questions and requests:
- Why the loop?
- Why loop at that particular Oamaru/coastal North Otago location?
- What did your "air traffic management service" advise the pilot to do at that location, and why?
- Please provide an audio recording or unredacted transcript of the exchange between air traffic control and the pilot concerning the loop recorded in my video footage.
- Please advise the time of departure from Auckland Airport and time of arrival at Dunedin Airport.
Video links:
Footage originally provided: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/er6l4kkc3...
Additional footage:
(1) https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jh8a44ib8...
(2) https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tznm2tmfe...
Yours sincerely,
Mr French
From: Iwase, Naoka
Hi Mr French,
Thank you for your email.
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible but in
any event no later than 12 September 2024 (being 20 working days after the
day your request was received) under the Official Information Act. If we
are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an
extension of that timeframe.
If you have any other queries, please feel free to contact me directly.
We will be in touch again if we require further information or
clarification.
Thank you.
Naoka Iwase
| Legal Counsel / OIA Advisor
w: [1]www.airways.co.nz
show quoted sections
From: Iwase, Naoka
Hi Mr French,
Please find attached our response.
Thank you.
Naoka Iwase
| Legal Counsel / OIA Advisor
w: http://www.airways.co.nz/
show quoted sections
M Bell left an annotation ()
110 minute direct flight takes 136 minutes, filmed doing loops with huge trails proceeding from the fuselage. They have now deleted other records, so nothing to see here. Is a pity that Air New Zealand cant be compelled by OIA requests, however I wonder what they would say of that flight if you wrote to them.
Mr French left an annotation ()
On 13 September 2024 I wrote to David Morgan, Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer at Air New Zealand, to request information regarding this flight - in particular the specific details of the substance or substances emitted from the aircraft during the flight; the name and position of the person who authorised the release of the said substance
or substances during the flight; and the purpose of these emissions.
I have not yet received a substantive response, or any communication from Air New Zealand other than an initial automated acknowledgement.
Mr French left an annotation ()
After following up with Air New Zealand by email on 27 September (again I received no response), and then by phone on 18 October (which was acknowledged by email the same day), I received the following email response on 24 October 2024, from Shielam, Customer Communication and Engagement Specialist | Customer Policy and Recovery:
------------
Thank you for your patience while I worked to get more information regarding your questions.
Upon hearing from our Operations team, I can confirm that NZ671 on 19 March 2024 entered a holding pattern over Oamaru and completed 2 laps of the standard hold while the Captain waited for fog to clear in Dunedin. The aircraft completed a gentle descent during the holding pattern to prepare for the approach to land.
In regards to the emissions, we can confirm that Air New Zealand aircraft do not release substances into the atmosphere. In addition to this, the aircraft operating NZ671 on 19 March 2024 was an A320 and these aircraft are not fitted with the technology required to release substances, hence making it impossible to have released anything into the atmosphere.
That said, we acknowledge that you observed what appeared to be substances being released, however, this appears to be condensation trails forming over and behind the wings of the aircraft. Condensation around aircraft occurs commonly in humid conditions, and is therefore common on fog days.
Thank you once again for contacting us, Patrick and I hope that I have been able to adequately address the concerns that you have raised.
------------
Notes:
- According to https://www.wunderground.com/history/dai..., there was fog at Dunedin Airport recorded at 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 am that day, which had changed to "fair" at 10 am.
- Conditions at Oamaru and Oamaru Airport (north of Oamaru) were described as "fair" throughout that day. No fog was recorded, and as can be seen in the videos we had a beautiful sunny morning with a clear blue sky.
M Bell left an annotation ()
A few oddities in that account of events, but regardless, nice detective work Mr French!
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Mr French left an annotation ()
16/07/2024: I received a reply from the CAA advising that they have transferred my request to Airways NZ, with the explanation that the information to which my request relates is not held by the CAA but is believed by them to be held by Airways NZ.
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