Glossary

Aerodrome
A place where aircraft such as aeroplanes and helicopters take off and land.

Air curtains
A device used to prevent air or contaminants from moving from one open space to another. They come with or without heaters to heat the air.

Airport
A place where aircraft such as aeroplanes and helicopters take off and land. Airports differ from aerodromes in that they have met Civil Aviation Authority requirements.

Air traffic control
Air traffic controllers work to provide safe separation between aircraft in the air and on the ground. They organize the flow of air traffic, and provide information and other support for pilots.

Biosecurity
Protection of the economy, environment, and health of living things from diseases and pests.

Boarding pass
A document provided by an airline during check-in, giving a passenger permission to board the aeroplane for a particular flight. It identifies the passenger, the flight number, and the date and scheduled time for departure.

Check-in kiosk
Self-service check-in where you print your own bag tags and boarding pass without having to wait in a queue.

Control tower
A tall building at an airport from which the movements of air traffic are controlled.

Control zone
Airspace that aircraft can only fly into after getting clearance from air traffic control. This means that air traffic controllers know exactly which aircraft are in that airspace, and can take steps to ensure aircraft are safe.

Curfew
A period of time (often at night) when take-offs and landings at an airport are restricted to specific types of aircraft and operations.

Customs
Government agency with the job of making our borders safe and secure. Customs makes sure only legal goods enter and leave the country.

Domestic flight
Flights within the country. Domestic airports do not have customs and immigration facilities and so they cannot handle flights to or from another country.

Flight path
A specified route that an aircraft takes.

Gate
The entrance and exit to and from the aeroplane.

Groundwater
Water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock.

Hangar
A large building in which aircraft are kept or repaired.

Haul   
Travel distance. In aviation there are generally three types: short, medium, and long haul.

Immigration New Zealand
A government agency which checks the movement of people into and out of the country. Immigration staff check the required paperwork and make sure that a person is allowed to enter the country.

International flight
Flights between countries. International airports have customs and immigration facilities for passengers arriving from other countries.

Noise contours
Lines on a map that represent the level of noise exposure surrounding an airport.

Passenger Arrival Card
Every passenger entering New Zealand is required to fill in the New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card. They collect essential passenger information which plays a vital role in border security. This information is also used for data matching, statistics and other purposes authorised by law.

Passport
A travel document issued by the government. It is used for international travel and proves who you are and where you are from. Standard passports have your name, place and date of birth, photograph, signature, and other identifying information.

Radar
An object-detection system that uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects.

Renewable energy
A source of energy that, managed well, can be replenished quickly. Examples include hydro, wind, direct solar and biomass.

Resource consent
The authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act (the "RMA").

Tenant
Somebody who rents a building, house, set of rooms, plot of land, or piece of property for a fixed period of time.

Terminal
A building with facilities needed by transport operators and passengers at either end of a travel or shipping route.

Visa
A visa is like a permit for a person who is not a citizen of that country. It allows them to enter the country and stay there for a limited time.