Taupō Airport (Māori: Te Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō, (IATA: TUO, ICAO: NZAP)) is a small airport 8 km (5.0 mi) to the south of Taupō township on the eastern shores of Lake Taupō, New Zealand.
Scheduled flights are operated by Air New Zealand Link, using Bombardier DHC-8-Q300 from Auckland, and Sounds Air, operating from Wellington using Pilatus PC-12. The airport is a popular destination for private jets, due to its close proximity to trout fishing, golf, hunting, skiing and luxury resorts.[citation needed]
A number of small charter and training operations are also based here along with maintenance providers and a large search and rescue facility. Taupō Airport is the busiest parachute drop zone in New Zealand.[1] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic there were two commercial tandem skydiving companies operating from the airport, however one has since gone out of business as a result.[2]
Taupo Airport is located within a Mandatory Broadcast Zone (MBZ) in uncontrolled (G) airspace with type C airspace starting at 6500 ft AMSL and controlled by Christchurch Control. Taupo Airport is the second-busiest non-towered airport in New Zealand.
Funded from Provincial Growth Fund, New Zealand Upgrade Programme and also the Taupō District Council, the project is expected to begin in March 2020 and be complete by October 2021.
The re-development will see a new terminal built that caters to the increase in traveller movements. The apron size will also be increased once the old terminal has been removed, which will make room for more aircraft parking. A new car park will also be developed within the airport.
NZAIP Volume 4 AD
