Aviation will help businesses compete internationally

The aviation industry needs to show it offers good value for money in the face of a Government review of funding for pilot training, University Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey told an industry conference in Palmerston North today.

The University’s School of Aviation is one of the few institutions in the world that offers degrees in aviation with integrated professional pilot training. Mr Maharey told the launch of Aviation Industry Conference Week at the city's convention centre that any value placed on the industry had to factor in the range of sectors it supports.

“You are worth, I am told, about $10 billion and that is probably the tip of the iceberg," Mr Maharey said. "But that undoubtedly does not count a whole range of industries that hang off the side of your industry and would not work without you.”

He said the success of the industry was key to helping New Zealand compete on the international stage.
“This nation needs to become very international. We are not there yet by a long way. We still don’t export much of what we produce, we have a lot to do. We need to move people around the world, and be an internationally-focused country – and you are the industry that helps us do that.”

Manawatu, as a hub for agri-food, relies heavily on aviation, and Mr Maharey challenged delegates to think about how the city’s airport could again host international flights.

“These days most people who work in a city like this treat Australia as a domestic place to go, whether it’s cargo or whether it’s them personally. Being able to fly in and out of here is always something that we have treasured and we are keen to see an [international] airline back."

The conference week is supported by the school, which, on Wednesday and Thursday, will host a symposium for academics and practitioners to review the latest developments in aviation safety, management, technology and education.