The airport, a world-recognised gliding centre, is jointly owned by the Waitaki District Council and Omarama Soaring Centre, made up of a consortium of gliding clubs. Gliding provides its main income.
Company chairman Hugh Cameron, in a report to the council on the first half of the 2009-10 financial year, said the first six months to the end of December was the early part of the gliding season before the Christmas holidays and club camps in January.
Commercial gliding from the airport showed a downturn because of the recession.
While not reflected in the six-monthly figures, Mr Cameron said, poor weather in January would reduce the total year's income.
Compounding that was Omarama did not have the national gliding championships, which alternate between the North and South Islands each year, to bring in greater pilot numbers and higher income.
"While the net operating surplus is much better than expected for the first six months, we know that the early part of the second half-year had low income," he said.
Overall, the company recorded an operating surplus of $26,040 for the first six months of the 2009-10 financial year, compared with a budgeted surplus of $16,450. Income, generated by landing fees, operator fees, rents and leases, totalled $57,975; better than the budgeted $49,200.
Expenditure totalled $31,936, slightly below the budgeted $32,750. The biggest items were accountancy, insurance, rates, and repairs and maintenance.
During the period, the company bought a small section of land to the eastern end of the runway, which will give it access through Prohibition Rd for use as a runway extension.
