SANITI: Student Association Nelson-Marlborough Institute of Technology Incorportated

Student Pilot Conference

NZ Student Pilot Conference (NZSPC)

Each year  student pilots representing Flight Training Organisations from all over New Zealand attend our Student Pilot Conference in Nelson. The conference provides student pilots with the chance to network with there peers and industry professionals as well as providing an ideal forum for students to express their views on issues concerning student pilot training. For more information about our conference contact Hayden

NZSPC 2009

For the sixth year running SANITI, in conjunction with NMIT, hosted the New Zealand Student Pilot Conference at the NMIT Nelson campus from July 1 to July 4. Over 80 student pilots from NMIT’s 12 partnered flight training schools attended the three day conference.

Every year SANITI aims to provide students with access to key aviation industry representatives. The theme for NZSPC 2009 was ‘Bridging the Gap’. The aim of this year’s conference was to provide trainee pilots with information they could use to increase their chances of gaining employment after completing their training. SANITI made a special effort this year to provide more opportunities for students to network with smaller regional aviation employers.

This year SANITI was able to bring together an absolutely stellar cast of speakers, including representatives from Mount Cook Airlines, Air Nelson, Sounds Air, Air Safaris, New Zealand Airline Pilots Association as well as key industry speakers from Airways, the Civil Aviation Authority, The New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association and the Aviation Industry Association. Other highlights included a tour of Nelson Helicopters, the Summit rescue helicopter and helicopters NZ for NMIT rotary students.

On Friday July 3 the Conference ended with SANITI’s now famous fancy dress party held at the Nelson Golf Club. The theme this year was an American styled 4th of July party (minus the fireworks). Students had to come dressed as their favourite 80’s or 90’s American icon.  Prizes were given to the best dressed students. Mount Cook Airlines sponsored two amazing prizes where the students would spend the day flying in the cockpit of an ATR passenger plane, Sun Air sponsored a weeks work experience,  Air BP generously sponsored $500 worth of fuel vouchers for the best-dressed rotary students and the Down Under Pilot shop generously provided a host of spot prizes and giveaways.

The party was the perfect way to cap off what was by all accounts one of the best student pilot conferences. As ever the conference could not have gone ahead without the sponsorship and generous support from NMIT, Aviation Services Limited, The Aviation Industry Association, Air BP, Sun Air, Mt Cook Airlines, Nelson Aviation College and Ardmore Flying School.