Aerodrome

Stratford Aerodrome is a general aviation aerodrome located 4kms northeast of the Stratford township on Flint Road.

It occupies 17 hectares and is enclosed in a 130 hectare dairy farm, all owned by Council.

Stratford Aerodrome has:

two grass runways
ground controlled main runway lighting
refuelling facilities available on site (Avgas).

rsz aerodrome pic

Stratford Aero Club

The Stratford Aero Club building, constructed in 1939, includes kitchen and bathroom facilities, several operational rooms and a spacious general clubroom. Three hangars house the club’s aircraft. All facilities are owned and maintained by members.

Taranaki Gliding Club

The Taranaki Gliding Club hangar fronts the cross runway enabling direct access to both runways. It is the largest hangar at the aerodrome and is owned and maintained by the Gliding Club.

Hangars

There are five other privately owned hangars at the Aerodrome - four for private recreational aircraft and one for a commercial operator.

Commercial Operators

Two fertiliser companies operate from Stratford Aerodrome - Ravensdown Aerowork and Super Air.

Drones

With drones becoming more accessible to the everyday user, there are a number of guidelines that users need to be aware of before operating their drone’s or UAV’s (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) in the district.
Council is not the main authority when it comes to drones; that would be the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). It is important to note that the CAA have very specific rules around the flying of drones, especially in built up areas and around Aerodromes.

Flying a drone in Stratford District

There are a number of situations in which you would need to gain permission from the Council before flying your drone, these include:
- If you are within 4km of an Aerodrome, which is a controlled airspace. Unfortunately for drone users, this includes most of the Stratford Urban area. Permission would be needed before you fly anywhere in Stratford Urban area, this includes your own backyard.
- If you want to fly a drone in any of the public parks or reserves throughout the district.
To gain permission to fly your drone, please contact Council on (06)765 6099.
If you intend to fly your drone over people’s private property, you need their permission first. This should be a conversation you have directly with the property owner.

Flying a drone over the National Park

If you plan to fly over any conservation lands, including Mount Taranaki, you will need to get permission from the Department of Conservation (DOC). As a general rule, recreation drone or aircraft use are not permitted in Egmont National Park.

Things to know before you fly your drone

- Do not fly a drone that is more than 25kg.
- Do not fly a drone higher than 120 meters.
- Always ensure that your drone is safe to fly.
- Only fly your drone in daylight.
- Give way to all crewed aircraft eg planes and helicopters
- Make sure your drone is within eyesight, without help of binoculars, monitors or smartphones.
- Ensure you have permission from property owners before you fly over their land.
- Avoid all special use airspace’s eg military operating areas, low flying zones or restricted areas.
For more information about flying drones, visit the CAA website https://www.caa.govt.nz/unmanned-aircraft/drones/