weekdays, and reduced hours on weekends, to coincide with airline traffic movements. There is also one fire rescue unit and another small emergency unit based at New Plymouth Airport. The airport's only sealed taxiway connects the apron and the asphalt runway, so aircraft taxi on the runway, and commence take off roll from runway ends. New Plymouth Airport is infamous for crosswinds, due mostly to the fact that although the tarmac runway faces into the prevailing SSW wind the area regularly receives a strong SSE/SE. The cross runway is not sealed, and thus airline traffic is limited to the tarmac runway, parallel to the sea. The tarmac runway is equipped with low intensity runway lighting, runway end lighting, and Precision Approach Path Indicators. The sealed taxiway and apron are also lit. The airport has VOR/DME equipment. It was equipped with an NDB, but this was recently removed. New Plymouth Aero Club and its Air New Plymouth charter service was based at the airport, until it ceased operations in 2014. Previously it carried out charter work and air ambulance services as well as providing a well recognised flight training facility. General aviation aircraft are located at the airport as well as heritage De Havilland Vampire, an L-39 Albatross, four Yak 52s and a Catalina Flying Boat. In 2017, a proposal for a $29 million airport terminal upgrade at New Plymouth Airport was given its final approval by the New Plymouth District Council. The airport's terminal building opened in 1967 and was designed to handle just 60,000 passengers per year. In 2016, 411,661 people flew in and out of New Plymouth making it the 9th busiest airport in the country. In an uncommon move, councillors approved the most expensive option for the redevelopment which included cultural aspects in the design and rejected plans for a cheaper, more functional building without any arguing. The new master plan proposed a major expansion of the terminal so it would have a floor area of 4092 square metres instead of the existing 1430 square metres. The terminal design featured separate arrival and departure gates, installing a larger mechanical baggage claim, a larger Air New Zealand lounge, more space for retail and the cafe, and the ability to create a passenger security area if required in the future. The master plan also proposed a two-stage runway extension to better cater for larger ATR aircraft which are now