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Brisbane Waves
Mid-year is mid-winter down under, and people are on the move.
Kiwis are looking to escape the cold of encroaching winter by travelling to Queensland, its state capital Brisbane, and the relative warmth of the beaches of the nearby Sunshine and Gold Coasts.
For their Australian cousins, the magic of New Zealand's mountains and winter pastimes is but a three hour flight away.
As always, on VATSIM this June it's all happening in Australasia, with Cross the Ditch 28: Brisbane Waves.
Featured for Cross the Ditch 28
Airport Focus: Brisbane, Australia
Cross the Ditch is excited to announce Brisbane, Australia will be hosting the next City Waves event.
Brisbane is the Queensland state capital, and one of Australasia's fastest growing regions. A sporting and cultural centre, it is also home to the world's most famous family of blue heelers. Brisbane International Airport (YBBN) has recently completed a major extension that added a new parallel runway (01L/19R) and significantly boosted its overall capacity.
Cross the Ditch 28 will connect Brisbane (YBBN) to New Zealand's three largest cities: spending the morning in Christchurch (NZCH), the afternoon in Wellington (NZWN), and the evening in ever-popular Auckland (NZAA).
The Wave Schedule will allow enterprising pilots to complete at least four sectors over the course of the day. Whether you fly only one wave or make a day of it, Cross the Ditch 28 will show you why traversing the Tasman is always such a great virtual aviation event.
What's it all about?
For eighteen hours this June, the skies over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand will be filled with aircraft all on a mission to Cross the Ditch.
An example of that typical down-under understatement, this "ditch" is over 1100nm wide. The flight routes all range from two and a half to three and a half hours flight time.
Throughout the event, Oceania's two divisions – VATNZ and VATPAC – will be providing full gate-to-gate ATC coverage, in the Southern Hemisphere's premiere oceanic event.
This is a great opportunity to experience Oceanic flying without the need to commit to an eight-hour flight!
If you're new to Oceanic Flying, our reporting tool makes taking part a breeze.
Event Times
This eighteen hour event is timed to allow pilots from all over the world to join the fun:
- UTC: Saturday 14th June 2025 18:00 - Sunday 15th June 2025 12:00
- AEST: Sunday 15th June 2025 04:00 - Sunday 15th June 2025 22:00
- NZST: Sunday 15th June 2025 06:00 - Monday 16th June 2025 00:00
Waves
This season's event is organised in waves. Each airport will have a two-and-a-half-to-three-and-a-half hour departure window, during which time flights will be able to leave for the next destination. As the window closes, the departure window will open at the next destination.
Given each of the flights is 3 - 4hrs in length, the previous wave's flights will be arriving at the same airport as the next wave departs, maximising the amount of traffic at each airport.
NOTE: in order to ensure that you have ATC coverage throughout your flight, you MUST fly the wave route that is active at the time of your departure.
The individual routes are designed to ensure as much opposing traffic enroute as possible.
Each flight passes from one Oceania division to the other, and the result is six mini-flyins over the course of twenty hours!
The Waves for Cross the Ditch 28: Brisbane Waves are:
| Wave | Flight | Departure Window | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UTC | AEST | NZST | ||
| 1 | Christchurch, New Zealand (NZCH) to Brisbane, Australia (YBBN) | 1800-2100 | 0400-0700 | 0600-0900 |
| 2 | Brisbane, Australia (YBBN) to Wellington, New Zealand (NZWN) | 2100-0030 | 0700-1030 | 0900-1230 |
| 3 | Wellington, New Zealand (NZWN) to Brisbane, Australia (YBBN) | 0030-0330 | 1030-1330 | 1230-1530 |
| 4 | Brisbane, Australia (YBBN) to Auckland, New Zealand (NZAA) | 0330-0700 | 1330-1700 | 1530-1900 |
| 5 | Auckland, New Zealand (NZAA) to Brisbane, Australia (YBBN) | 0530-0800 | 1530-1800 | 1730-2000 |
Calling all Pilots and Controllers
Flight plans are available from the Flight Plans section.
Book your flights now from the Flight Bookings page. Bookings made on this site help us plan for the event, and will also show up in vroute.
Controllers wanting to get in on the action can also apply now at the event's ATC Applications page.
Airports
NZAA Auckland, New Zealand
Arrivals
- Auckland — Arrival/Departure (1) & (2) — All RWY
- Auckland — Arrival/Departure (3) & (4) — All RWY
- Auckland — Arrival/Departure (5) & (6) — All RWY
- Auckland — Arrival/Departure (7) & (8) — All RWY
- Auckland — Noise Abatement — All RWY, Minimum Runway Occupancy
- Auckland — Minimum Runway Occupancy — RWY 05R & 23L Arrival
- Auckland — Arrival/Departure (9) & (10) — RWY 05R/23L
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 05R (1) & (2)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 05R (3) & (4)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 05R (5) & (6)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 05R (7) & (8)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 05R (9)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 23L (1) & (2)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 23L (3) & (4)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 23L (5) & (6)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 23L (7) & (8)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 23L (9) & (10)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 23L (11) & (12)
- Auckland — RNAV STAR RWY 23L (13)
- Auckland — Visual RNAV Arrival RWY 05R & 23L
- Auckland — VFR Arrival/Departure Procedures — All RWY, VFR Arrival Procedures — All RWY
Approaches
- Auckland — ILS/DME or LOC/DME RWY 05R & 23L
- Auckland — ILS/DME (CAT II/III) RWY 23L
- Auckland — VOR/DME RWY 05R & VOR/DME RWY 23L
- Auckland — RNP Z RWY 05R & RWY 23L
- Auckland — RNP Y RWY 05R (AR) & RWY 23L (AR)
- Auckland — RNP X RWY 05R (AR) & RWY 23L (AR)
- Auckland — RNP V RWY 23L (AR), RNP U RWY 23L (AR)
- Auckland — RNP S RWY 23L (AR)
Ground
- Auckland — Aerodrome — RWY 05R/23L Operations (1) & (2)
- Auckland — Ground Movements — RWY 05R/23L Operations
- Auckland — International Apron — RWY 05R/23L, Domestic Apron — RWY 05R/23L
- Auckland — Ground Movements (1) & (2) — All RWY
- Auckland — Ground Movements (3) & (4) — All RWY
- Auckland — Ground Movements (5) & (6) — All RWY
- Auckland — Ground Movements (7) — Low Visibility Taxi Routes
- Auckland — Ground Movements (8) — RWY 23L Arrivals, Ground Movements (9) — RWY 23L Departures
- Auckland — Ground Movements (10) & (11) — Code F ACFT
- Auckland — Code F ACFT Taxi Routes — RWY 05R/23L — Arrival & Departure
Departures
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 05R (1) & (2)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 05R (3) & (4)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 05R (5) & (6)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 05R (7) & (8)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 05R (9) & (10)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 05R (11)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 23L (1) & (2)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 23L (3) & (4)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 23L (5) & (6)
- Auckland — RNAV SID RWY 23L (7) & (8)
- Auckland — RADAR SID RWY 05R/23L
- Auckland — VFR Departure Procedures — All RWY
Standard Route Clearances
Miscellaneous
Special
- Auckland — ILS/DME W or LOC/DME W RWY 23L, LOC/DME W RWY 05R
- Auckland — VOR/DME W RWY 05R & 23L
- Auckland — RNP W RWY 23L
- Auckland — Aerodrome — RWY 05R/23L — WIP West, Operational Data — RWY 05R/23L — WIP West
- Auckland — Ground Movements — RWY 05R/23L — WIP West
- Auckland — ILS/DME E or LOC/DME E RWY 05R, LOC/DME E RWY 23L
- Auckland — VOR/DME E RWY 05R & RWY 23L
- Auckland — RNP E RWY 05R
- Auckland — Aerodrome — RWY 05R/23L — WIP East, Operational Data — RWY 05R/23L — WIP East
- Auckland — Ground Movements — RWY 05R/23L — WIP East
NZCH Christchurch, New Zealand
Arrivals
- Christchurch — Arrival/Departure (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — Arrival/Departure (3)
- Christchurch — Arrival/Departure (4) & (5) — RWY 02/20
- Christchurch — Arrival/Departure (6) — RWY 02/20
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 02 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 02 (3) & (4)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 02 (5) & (6)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 02 (7) & (8)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 02 (9)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 20 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 20 (3) & (4)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 20 (5) & (6)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 20 (7) & (8)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 11 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 11 (3)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 29 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 29 (3) & (4)
- Christchurch — RNAV STAR RWY 29 (5) & (6)
- Christchurch — VFR Arrival Procedures RWY 02/20 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — VFR Arrival Procedures RWY 29 (1) & (2)
Approaches
- Christchurch — ILS/DME or LOC/DME RWY 02 & RWY 20
- Christchurch — VOR/DME RWY 02 & RWY 20
- Christchurch — RNP Z RWY 02 & RWY 20
- Christchurch — RNP Y RWY 02 & 20 (AR)
- Christchurch — RNP X RWY 20 (AR)
- Christchurch — RNP W RWY 02 & 20 (AR)
- Christchurch — RNP V RWY 02 (AR)
- Christchurch — RNP RWY 11, RNP Y RWY 29 (AR)
- Christchurch — RNP W RWY 29 (AR)
Ground
Departures
- Christchurch — RNAV SID RWY 02 (1)
- Christchurch — RNAV SID RWY 02 (2) & (3)
- Christchurch — RNAV SID RWY 20 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — RNAV SID RWY 20 (3), RNAV SID RWY 11
- Christchurch — RNAV SID RWY 29 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — RNAV SID RWY 29 (3), RADAR SID RWY 02, 20, 29
- Christchurch — VFR Departure Procedures RWY 02/20 (1) & (2)
- Christchurch — VFR Departure Procedures RWY 29 (1) & (2)
Standard Route Clearances
Miscellaneous
Special
- Christchurch — ILS/DME N or LOC/DME N RWY 02, VOR/DME N RWY 02
- Christchurch — RNP N RWY 02
- Christchurch — Aerodrome (1) & (2) — RWY 02 — WIP North
- Christchurch — Operational Data — RWY 02 (RWY 20 Take-off) — WIP North, Ground Movements — RWY 02 (RWY 20 Take-off) — WIP North
- Christchurch — LOC/DME S RWY 02, ILS/DME S or LOC/DME S RWY 20
- Christchurch — VOR/DME S RWY 02 & RWY 20
- Christchurch — RNP S RWY 20
- Christchurch — Aerodrome (1) & (2) — RWY 02/20 — WIP South
- Christchurch — Operational Data — RWY 02/20 — WIP South, Ground Movements — RWY 02/20 — WIP South
NZWN Wellington, New Zealand
Arrivals
- Wellington — Arrival/Departure (1) & (2)
- Wellington — Noise Abatement (1) & (2)
- Wellington — Noise Abatement (3) & (4)
- Wellington — RNAV STAR RWY 16 (1) & (2)
- Wellington — RNAV STAR RWY 16 (3) & (4)
- Wellington — RNAV STAR RWY 16 (5) & (6)
- Wellington — RNAV STAR RWY 34 (1) & (2)
- Wellington — RNAV STAR RWY 34 (3) & (4)
- Wellington — RNAV STAR RWY 34 (5)
- Wellington — VFR Arrival Procedures (1) & (2)
Approaches
Ground
Departures
- Wellington — RNAV SID RWY 16 (1) & (2)
- Wellington — RNAV SID RWY 16 (3) & (4)
- Wellington — RNAV SID RWY 16 (5) & (6)
- Wellington — RNAV SID RWY 16 (7), RADAR SID RWY 16
- Wellington — RNAV SID RWY 34 (1) & (2)
- Wellington — RNAV SID RWY 34 (3) & (4)
- Wellington — RNAV SID RWY 34 (5) & (6)
- Wellington — RNP SID RWY 34 (AR) (1) & (2)
- Wellington — RNP SID RWY 34 (AR) (3), RADAR SID RWY 34
- Wellington — VFR Departure Procedures (1) & (2)
Standard Route Clearances
Miscellaneous
Positions
| Callsign | Radio Name | FrequencyFreq | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FSS | NZZO-TSN_FSS | Auckland Radio (Tasman) | 129.500 |
| NZZO_FSS | Auckland Radio | 129.000 | |
| CTR | NZAA_CTR | Auckland Control | 123.900 |
| NZCH-S_CTR | Christchurch Control | 129.300 | |
| NZCH-T_CTR | Christchurch Control | 123.700 | |
| APP | NZAA_APP | Auckland Approach | 124.300 |
| NZCH_APP | Christchurch Approach | 126.100 | |
| NZWN_APP | Wellington Approach | 119.300 | |
| TWR | NZAA_TWR | Auckland Tower | 118.700 |
| NZCH_TWR | Christchurch Tower | 118.400 | |
| NZWN_TWR | Wellington Tower | 118.800 | |
| GND | NZAA_GND | Auckland Ground | 121.900 |
| NZCH_GND | Christchurch Ground | 121.900 | |
| NZWN_GND | Wellington Ground | 121.900 | |
| DEL | NZAA_DEL | Auckland Delivery | 128.200 |
| NZCH_DEL | Christchurch Delivery | 128.200 | |
| NZWN_DEL | Wellington Delivery | 128.200 |
Flight and ATC Bookings
We encourage pilots and controllers alike to book your intention to fly or provide ATC using vroute.
These bookings display on the VATNZ website and allow others to know when and where to expect pilots and controllers to be online.
VATNZ Events Mailing List
To keep up to date with all the events taking place in the VATNZ division, subscribe to the VATNZ Events Mailing List. Receive reminder emails before each event detailing what's happening and where.