Civil Aviation Authority regulation for the hang-gliding industry is expected to be "a living document", a Queenstown tandem hang-gliding chief says.
Coronet Peak Tandems Ltd owner-operator Angus Tapper, of Frankton, was asked yesterday to comment on the plea for tighter regulation by a family friend of pilot Gerardo Bean (29), who died with passenger Andrew Scotland (34) when they crashed on March 10 last year.
"We're currently working under the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (NZHGPA), who regulate us, essentially," Mr Tapper said.
"Part 115 will be an adventure operators certificate complying with CAA requirements, and without it, you won't be able to operate."
The authority's draft Adventure Aviation Part 115 was opened for industry submissions in November and he expected it to come into effect next year.
"I imagine it would be a living document, constantly getting tweaked over the years," he said.
Mr Tapper said in the past individual tandem pilots would get licences, but there was no licence for the operator.
The adventure aviation certificate would apply to the operator and give the CAA the authority to suspend operations if required.
"Even if Part 115 didn't come in, the Department of Labour would be requiring an independent auditing system."
The commercial aircraft pilot of 10 years, and from a Queenstown aviation family, started Coronet Peak Tandems five years ago.
The company employs 10 New Zealand and overseas pilots.
It has flown more than 25,000 passengers - a third hang-gliders, two-thirds paragliders, with only one incident when a customer did not run on take-off and dislocated his ankle.
"I feel that the current system we've got, as long as you're doing everything you should be doing under the [NZHGPA], goes a long way in keeping people safe," Mr Tapper said.
"You've got pilots flying these aircraft and doing high-G manoeuvres. It's really coming down to the pilot's command of the aircraft, like any aircraft.
"People want to be shown a good time, but within the bounds of safety."
When asked if he thought the proposed regulation would prevent another tragedy, Mr Tapper said all the regulation on the roads would not prevent traffic accidents.
Mr Tapper described Mr Bean as a friend and a "very talented pilot", but it appeared he had overstretched the Northwing T2 glider, which was the first of its type to be used commercially in Queenstown.
Most hang-gliders operating commercially in the resort for the past 15 years were Australian built Airborne Fun 220, which had a good track record, Mr Tapper said.
