Just like Wanaka itself, the town's airport will take off in the coming years. Already, demand is increasing steadily, and decisions are required on its future.
It is the baby brother "over the hill'' to Queenstown's burgeoning, bulging and bustling airport.
And, being on the outskirts of a boom town, it will have to grow up quickly.
Despite being much less constrained by geography, and by homes nearby, consultant Astral Ltd, which has examined Wanaka airport options, warns it will need to buy more land.
That would be necessary to underpin the airport if it is to become a "general aviation'' hub and be able to take flights diverted from Queenstown.
In the meantime, the Queenstown Lakes District Council, the airport's owner, has begun grappling with governance options.
At present, airport management is carried out by Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC). Given the small scale of Wanaka Airport itself - its gross revenue for the last financial year was only $472,000 - and given 75% of QAC is owned by the council, this has been a reasonable course to this point.
And it seems, from the consultant's report, the airport's future is inextricably tied to QAC.
In its summary, it says: "The role of the airport has been identified as being a complementary and supplementary facility to Queenstown Airport''.
One of the two favoured ownership options is for the airport to be sold to QAC, while for the other - a Wanaka Airport company controlled by the council - it is suggested the board be two senior council executives, two QAC executives and an independent chairman.
Being, effectively, an outpost of Queenstown Airport will not find favour with everyone in Wanaka, some of whom see the assets as belonging to their area.
It would also mean decisions could be based on what is best for QAC and not necessarily for Wanaka itself and its airport.
There is no doubt, nevertheless, Wanaka Airport's rapid expansion should be assured under big brother's wing.
Queenstown is desperate for space, and the consultant envisages, as Queenstown focuses on more jet services, "spillover'' to Wanaka.
Crucially, it sees Wanaka increasingly becoming the region's base for "general aviation''.
The servicing of small planes and helicopters could take place in Wanaka, as could plane parking, including for corporate jets.
There could also be a return of some scheduled services and a place for charter flights.
While flight numbers themselves, outside Warbirds over Wanaka every two years, are relatively low, the airport precinct has developed into a small town with museums, a cafe and tourist activities such as skydiving and scenic flights.
About 200 people work there, and demand for hangers exceeds supply.
As a general aviation base, that demand would accelerate rapidly.
The consultant believes effective long-term planning has languished and proposes possible capital spending of $15.5million over 15 years.
Even if landing fees and rents are hiked, as Astral suggests, a large outside capital injection would be needed.
The council this week considered the report and agreed to further investigate recommendations for airport governance.
It is now charged with making progress, and it will be important this task does not languish.
Wanaka Airport needs to put in place the foundations for its future, and do so soon.
Meanwhile, the stratospheric take-off at Queenstown continues as it rapidly becomes one of the country's big four airports, along with Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
The testing of the new night lights this week portends night flights and the spreading of ski season flights across more hours.
Yearly international passengers numbers are closing in on half a million and are up about 21% to the end of March on the year before.
Domestic numbers have soared past 1.1million, up 14%.
No wonder there is ample scope for "spillover'' to Wanaka.
