In the past decade, much has been done to plan for growth at Wanaka Airport. ODT reporter Marjorie Cook discovers that while you can now buy a handbag there, jet planes are still off the agenda.

Kaz and Greg von Heraud-Parker have based their new design businesses at Wanaka Airport

You can go anywhere from Wanaka Airport, so long as you go via Christchurch.

There's no duty-free shopping in the tiny terminal building, but just a few minutes' walk away you can find Von Avi handbags in Hangar 25.

The handbag makers, wife and husband design team Kaz and Greg von Heraud-Parker, set up their businesses, Von Avi and May E Machine, at the airport two years ago.

They have stitched together a patchwork of contracts in engineering, film, and art department, fashion and interior design, and cannot imagine being anywhere else.

"I find it exciting working out here. It is a great little business community . . . There is a good energy out here. It is good to be involved with it," Mrs von Heraud-Parker said.

Wanaka Airport Cafe proprietor Sue Henry plans to relocate within the Wanaka Airport business park. Photos by Marjorie Cook.

Their airport connections extend back more than a decade through Mr von Heraud-Parker's work as an aircraft maintenance engineer at the former Alpine Fighter Collection.

They note while times have been tough and some warbird businesses have gone - the Old Flying Machine Company, the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum, the Alpine Fighter Collection among them - new ventures have taken their place, such as the Wanaka Airport Cafe and helicopter servicing companies.

Airport activity levels have remained high because of Eagle Air's scheduled daily flights and long-standing adventure tourism businesses.

More activity is promised when the Warbirds Over Wanaka Charitable Trust opens a new $2 million visitor attraction in July.

They did ask questions of themselves when the recession bit hard in 2009, but an order for handbags from a Dubai client gave them the heart to soldier on.

While Von Avi and May E Machine handbags are taking off, jet planes landing are still an unlikely, uneconomic proposition.

Wanaka Airport committee chairman Leigh Overton has served the airport on behalf of the Queenstown Lakes District Council for 12 years and was appointed chairman last year.

Queenstown Airport Corporation Ltd is the hands-on manager while the committee works on the long-term, "big picture" planning.

But the committee's immediate goals remain modest and during Cr Overton's term at the helm, he wants to concentrate on land designation and noise boundary extension issues. A public hearing on these issues will be held in May.

He also intends encouraging Eagle Air to continue growing its services. After a tough six-month tourism climate, the airline is reviewing a six-month trial of extra flights.

Cr Overton also wants improved public toilets and terminal facilities. Construction is earmarked for 2012-13.

The 2008 Wanaka Airport master plan signalled the potential for jets to land in Wanaka (there is certainly room to provide for operations up to Boeing 747 standard) but said that was not likely within a 30-year horizon because the runway needed to be extended and the airport certified so bigger aircraft can land.

Cr Overton says there is no justification for spending the money on expansion, but the committee wants to provide the framework so these or other development choices can be made in the future.

There are two schools of thought about what Wanaka Airport should be.

Eagle Air's parent company, Air New Zealand, says neither the possible congestion at Queenstown nor the hypothetical organic growth at Wanaka justifies an increase in infrastructure.

On the other hand, Wanaka Chamber of Commerce supports the airport's independence from Queenstown, and expects it to play a key role in the town's business and tourism growth.

The general aviation sector has always held the fort at Wanaka, and this is encouraging private development on the airport fringes. Present proposals include an amusement park (Ross, Judy and Eamon Young; awaiting resource consent) and an 11-hangar aviation park (Norman and Dorothy Pittaway; resource consent application on hold).

The Toy and Transport Museum has an ongoing building and expansion programme.

Eight years ago, three of 35 possible airport ground leases were vacant. Now, all are filled by businesses touting a range of aircraft servicing, tourism, adventure and agricultural services.

"That [general aviation] is principally why the airport is there ... Queenstown has quite a lot of it too, but it does compete with scheduled airline runs. But that is not an issue here because of the limited scheduled flights," Cr Overton said.

Ratepayers do not get a direct dividend from Wanaka Airport because income is being applied to a loan taken out cover the $640,000 costs of resealing the runway in 2007. It has been the largest airport cost to date.

Future ground-lease opportunities are limited unless the council opens up land on the far side of the runway, next to the Project Pure wastewater treatment plant, requiring roading and infrastructure.

One operator feeling a squeeze on space is Wanaka Airport Cafe proprietor Sue Henry. She has been operating for three summers from a portable building overlooking the airstrip, from the end of the former New Zealand Fighter Pilot Museum hangar, which is now for sale. Her ground lease expires in July and she is looking to relocate.

Up, up and away:
The Wanaka Airport story so far.

• 1950s: Southern Scenic Air Services first commercial operator to use airstrip near Mt Iron.
• 1960s: Airstrip users relocate to airstrip on a farmer's paddock near Luggate.
• 1978: Strip bought by Vincent County Council for airport.
• 1983: Wanaka Airport opens with 15m wide sealed runway.
• 1986: Runway extended to 1200m, with grass extension.
• 1988: Upgrades to runway and taxiway.
• 1988: First Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow.
• 1990: Airport transferred to the Queenstown Lakes District Council. Managed by Queenstown Airport Corporation until local manager and committee appointed in 1998.
• 2004-9: QLDC spends $1.2 million on 170ha of extra land to protect operations. This precipitated the present airport designation process.
• 2004: Eagle Air starts daily scheduled passenger flights in 19-seater Beech 1900D aircraft to Christchurch.
• 2007: Runway resealing costs $640,000.
• 2009: Queenstown Airport Corporation appoints manager.
• 2011: Airport designation and noise boundary extension hearings scheduled for May.
• 2012-13: New terminal building planned.