Aviation

Billionaire businessman Michael Erceg flew his executive helicopter -- and the Dutch businessman who was his passenger -- into treetops that he apparently failed to see in time, according to a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) report released today.

Anyone flying to Australia and the Pacific on Air New Zealand from late this year will have four options of service priced accordingly, with the bottom option challenging budget airlines.

An aircraft pilot is dead after his plane apparently hit an occupied car in Northland this afternoon.

A Gisborne man who was left without essential medication when his luggage went missing on a Pacific Blue flight to Rarotonga says he owes his life to rival airline Air New Zealand.

North Otago pilots have learnt more about flying over mountainous terrain after a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) seminar held at the North Otago Aero Club on Thursday night.

"Mountain-flying training might just save your life. The bottom line is that your passengers rely on you for their comfort and safety."

A military helicopter at the centre of a $770 million New Zealand Defence Force upgrade has come in for harsh criticism in a German Army report into its performance.

Air New Zealand may seek compensation for the disruption to its flights caused by Thursday's air-traffic control outage at Dunedin International Airport.

Flying in mountainous terrain will be discussed during the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) free AvKiwi safety seminar in Queenstown on Monday.

More commercial flights for Wanaka Airport are on the agenda at a meeting next month between the resort's tourism and chamber of commerce representatives and the CEO of domestic airways carrier Eagle Air.