Pilot academy transition picks up momentum

Published on 19 December 2025

As New Zealand’s largest pilot training school, the New Zealand Airline Academy Limited (NZAAL), prepares to establish its Whanganui base, the team and students at the New Zealand International Pilot Academy (NZICPA) are making arranging to relocate to alternative premises.

NZICPA chief executive, Scott McKenzie says students who had returned to India temporarily have now returned to complete their training. “We are focused on getting all the remaining students through their training, so we’ve put a transition plan in place to ensure that can continue, once NZAAL arrives.”

NZICPA students will move to the Hato Hōhepa Crew Rest Facility where simulator training will also take place. “We are pleased to have the support of other airport users to help us get our students trained up,” says McKenzie. “We’ve arranged to run aircraft training out of the Wanganui Aeroclub and for our engineers to work out of Air Whanganui’s facilities.”

He says the academy is running efficiently. “We did 1160 flying hours in November and since the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) formally lifted its suspension of the academy’s Part 141 Certificate in July, 19 of our students have completed their training and graduated.”

The chair of Whanganui District Council Holdings (Holdings), Carolyn van Leuven, says the NZICPA board has reduced further in size ahead of the company transitioning out of service over the coming months.

Matthew Doyle has stepped down as a director, with Craig Compain remaining as sole director. Van Leuven says, “Matt has been a director of the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy since the company was established in 2015, and Holdings and the council are very grateful for his service.”

Doyle’s involvement with NZICPA will continue in an advisory capacity through his firm PKF Doyle & Associates and he also remains a director of GasNet, which is owned by Holdings on behalf of Whanganui District Council.

NZAAL will be welcomed to Whanganui in January 2026.