These notes are provided for information of visiting glider pilots flying private aircraft (or aircraft from their home club) at Matamata Airfield. There are additional requirements for visiting glider pilots who wish to fly Piako Gliding Club gliders.
Matamata airfield is very busy with a variety of light aircraft traffic, flight training, parachute operations, gyrocopters and model aircraft flying. Most visiting GA traffic have no understanding of glider operations. It is important to understand and follow established procedures to keep us all safe.
Ground Operations
Vehicles required to be on the active runway shall operate their flashing lights and only remain on the active runway for the minimum time required to complete the task. Gliders and vehicles retrieving gliders shall vacate the runway as soon as possible to ensure that the active runway is not obstructed for other aircraft.
Park all cars on the down-wind side of the launch point. All cars and trailers must be parked as far to the edge of the runway as possible and only one car in depth.
Any vehicle in the likely take-off or landing path of an aircraft must stop until the aircraft has taken off or landed safely. Car movements should be around the boundaries of the runway and not across it.
Skydiving
There are two main parachute landing areas (PLA’s) as follows:
Kaimai PLA. (Runway 04/22)
Clubroom PLA. (In front of the Skydiving Club and designated by marker cones).
When the PLA is defined by marker cones and if the PLA is located on a movement area of the aerodrome it will not be available for aircraft during the period it is so defined. Do not drive vehicles, tow gliders or taxi aircraft in the PLA.
The pilot in command of the jump aircraft shall broadcast the intended PLA and drop details prior to take off and shall maintain a continuous listening watch on the MBZ frequency unless in communication with ATC.
The pilot in command of the jump aircraft shall further broadcast his intentions 3 minutes prior to and 10 seconds prior to drop. The PDZ shall be deemed to be in progress from the 3-minute call prior to drop until parachutists have landed. The intended PLA “Kamai” or “Clubroom” shall be clearly broadcast by the drop pilot. This will signify to all users of the airfield and surrounding airspace that the PDZ may be active and that the parachute landings will be directed to the intended PLA.
No aircraft shall operate in the specified drop sector after the 3-minute call. Gliders or other aircraft unable to comply with this shall communicate with the parachute jump plane to ensure there will not be a conflict between aircraft and parachutists.
Models
Model aircraft may operate from the inactive runway. Crosses are displayed at the threshold while model aircraft operations are in progress. Models can fly up to 1100’ AMSL.
Operators maintain a visual watch for traffic. In addition, they normally maintain a listening watch on the MBZ frequency. Announce your intentions on the radio if you find in necessary to land or fly near the modellers’ area or fly through the area, even if they don’t reply to your calls.
Avoid the area of close-cropped grass if using Runway 04/22.
Circuit
Circuits for runway 10/28 are always on the south-western side of the airfield (i.e. right hand for 10 and left hand for 28). Circuits for runway 04/22 are always on the north-western side of the airfield (i.e. right hand for 22 and left hand for 04).
Gliders and powered aircraft use the same circuit. Powered aircraft join the circuit from any direction. Gliders returning to join Matamata circuit should announce intentions early, listen and look for traffic and avoid flying directly overhead the airfield. Remember that power aircraft may fly a wider circuit than gliders.
All turns within the circuit area must be in the circuit direction. Do not fly in the wrong direction along the downwind leg to position your glider to join the circuit. Once committed to the circuit, DON’T CHANGE YOUR MIND.
Always plan your flight to return the airfield with enough height to join the normal circuit pattern around the airfield. If circumstances require you to fly a non-standard circuit, make your intentions very clear on the radio and establish 2-way communication with any other aircraft in the circuit to avoid conflict.
Thermalling in the circuit area below 1500’ AMSL is prohibited, except when a visual check and a radio enquiry have been made to ensure there are no other aircraft in the vicinity. On hearing a radio call of an aircraft’s intention to land, seeing an aircraft in the circuit, hearing a parachute drop call or hearing a take-off call from Matamata, the glider will immediately vacate the circuit or land.
Airspace
The lower limit of controlled airspace at Matamata is 4500 ft. This can be raised to 6500 ft in the local area by contacting ATC by radio or telephone and requesting that airspace G254 Matamata is opened.
Radio and Transponder
There is a Mandatory Broadcast Zone (MBZ) for 3 nm radius around Matamata Airfield, from surface to 4500 ft. All aircraft in the MBZ must use the MBZ frequency, 122.25MHz. It is good practice to monitor the MBZ frequency for a while before entering to find out what other aircraft are operating around the airfield.
Radio calls to Matamata Traffic are required when entering the MBZ, for circuit and landing calls, and every 15 minutes when operating within the MBZ.
Gliders normally use the glider chat frequency, 133.55 MHz, when operating outside of the MBZ.
Other aircraft outside of the MBZ will likely use the Common Frequency Zone (CFZ). While it is not mandatory to be on the CFZ frequency continuously, it is good airmanship to periodically monitor the appropriate frequency, particularly in high traffic pinch points, like the Waihi gap and within 10nm of airfields within the CFZ. Note that radio calls around unattended airfields should be made on the CFZ frequency (e.g. Tokoroa 123.25 MHz, Thames 124.5MHz).
Contact ATC at Bay Approach on frequency 119.5 MHz to fly in controlled airspace at Matamata.
All gliders fitted with transponders are recommended to have their transponder on Mode C or Mode S, or ADSB-out at all times and especially when flying above 4,000 ft or on cross country flights.
Flying with Piako Gliding Club
Piako Gliding Club welcomes visiting pilots from around New Zealand and overseas. The file below has our policy and information for visitors as well as a registration form.
