Media releases and other news items published by the CAA.

You can sign up to receive media releases by email, as well as notifications about other topics, through our email notification service. If you're looking for what's recently been published on the CAA website, see our What's new page.


Four members of the Civil Aviation Authority’s safety education and certification teams won this year’s Royal Aeronautical Society’s special recognition award at the 38th annual symposium.

Statement from the Director of Civil Aviation and Chief Executive Keith Manch about a Civil Aviation Authority change proposal which includes changes to our systems, practices and structure. 

Azis Global Investments Limited and Air Customs have today been sentenced to fines of $21,000 and $10,500, respectively, in the Auckland District Court. The sentencing follows guilty pleas from the Auckland-based freight forwarding companies on 4 March 2024, to charges filed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Flights departing from domestic airports at Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin from 1 July, will now benefit from world-leading security standards, thanks to the new Computed Tomography (CT) X-ray scanning machines which Aviation Security Service has been installing over the past eight months.

On 7 May 2022, the tow-plane flown by Ronald Sanders crashed when, during the aerotow, the glider became out of position causing a tow upset.  He died in hospital 12 days later. The safety investigation report, released today by the Civil Aviation Authority, identified several likely contributing factors.

The New Southern Sky Stakeholders’ Showcase was held on Thursday, March 21 in Wellington, with heartfelt thanks to all participants. A special thank you to MetService for hosting the post-event reception.

The CAA recently launched its Reduced and Zero Emissions Project (RZEP) to support the introduction of Reduced and Zero Emission Aircraft (RZEA) into New Zealand’s Aviation system.

On 19 February the Emerging Technologies Unit (ETU) welcomed Ryan Coates (Director, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems), Jeannie Stewart-Smith (Manager and Senior Policy Advisor, RPAS Policy, Regulations and Outreach) from Transport Canada and Alan Chapman (Director RPAS Traffic Management) from NAV Canada.

Warbirds Over Wanaka is fast approaching at Easter and we’re excited to announce that we’ll have a team present, thanks to the NZ Aviation Federation who are hosting us in their marquee.

A Civil Aviation Authority report, released today, found that a series of decisions by the pilot led to loss of control of the aircraft, causing it to crash on Mount Saint Cuthberts near Omarama aerodrome. The pilot didn’t survive.

As of 4 March 2024, national office staff from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA) and the Aviation Security Service (AvSec) have returned to their permanent workspace on level 15 and part of level 14 of the Asteron Centre in Wellington. This move follows two years of significant seismic upgrades undertaken and funded by the building owner.

It is with great sadness that the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand acknowledges the tragic passing of Brendon Bourne, Flight Examiner and valued member of our Licensing & Standards team.

The CAA office will be closed from 4pm Friday 22 December 2023 until 8am Monday 08 January 2024.

Summer is here, which means it’s the season of barbeques, parties, and events, and our Aviation Security Officers want you to know which well-intended gifts and items won’t make it through the security screening, so you don’t turn up empty handed at your in-laws house.

The CAA’s contract for Aeronautical Information Services (AIS), provided by Aeropath, expires on 30 June 2025. A project is underway to establish a new contract for Aeronautical Information Management and the Director of Civil Aviation has approved a direct-source approach working with Aeropath for the provision of the full services.

The Civil Aviation Authority is urging pilots to self-assess and consult with their medical assessors regarding any conditions that could jeopardise flight safety, following a fatal accident on 25 October 2021, when a Baby Great Lakes Class 1 Microlight crashed on farmland near Omarama.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s Deputy Chairperson, Steve Haszard, has resigned from the Board effective from 6 October 2023.

The Civil Aviation Authority is making changes to its investigation practices, following an independent review commissioned by the Director of Aviation and Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority Keith Manch. The subsequent report has been published today.

As the Women’s FIFA World Cup starts on 20 July, we want to help you become match-fit for airport security screening. Get to the airport with time to spare.

You may have heard about the severe geomagnetic storm earlier this week – a coronal mass ejection (an eruption on the sun, expelling plasma at high velocity) that intersected with the Earth, resulting in a plethora of warnings from various global space weather agencies.

Peanut butter, honey, Marmite, jam, and canned fish all have two things in common, they are pantry staples, and they will be removed from your carry-on bag if you’re flying internationally and they exceed the 100 millilitre rule.

Between November 2021 and October 2022 there were 48 reported airspace intrusions into the Woodbourne control zone. Vector Online takes a look at the challenges – and peculiarities – of the local transit lane.