New hangar opens at Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre

Whānau represent the indigenous people of Kaitorete and joint shareholders of Tāwhaki together with the New Zealand Government.

Led by whānau, attendees of the dawn blessing ceremony or whakatuwhera breathed life into the whare (structure), imbuing it with their spirit to prepare it for use.

The 600m2 hangar – named Whaitiri – has space for a variety of aircrafts, from drones to space planes. It provides the ideal base for flight campaigns, providing a large workshop and storage area, office facilities, and direct sealed access to fuel pad, taxiway and runway.

It is also built in line with the values of Tāwhaki: with colours that mirror the harakeke on Kaitorete, structural frames made from native timber, and the face of Whaitiri on the hangar doors. She is the grandmother of Tāwhaki, the demi-god the organisation is named for. In Ngāi Tahu legend, Whaitiri advised Tāwhaki on how best to climb to the heavens to bring back knowledge for his people.

Infrastructure and a supportive, world-class regulatory environment are vital for aerospace sector growth. This enables rapid testing and development of technology and systems onshore, ensuring all of Aotearoa can experience the economic benefits of growing a high-tech, highly skilled, high productivity sector.

Tāwhaki acknowledges and give a huge mihi to Kānoa Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit for backing this vision with a $5.4m grant that funded construction of the hangar and the sealed 1km runway we opened last year.

Keen to secure your flight campaign slot in one of the world’s best locations? Get in touch at info@tawhaki.co.nz