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Nelson Aviation College Limited, Motueka

Private Training Establishments · Aviation · Motueka

A private flight training institution based in Motueka, New Zealand, established in 1978. It employs 18 instructors and operates as a preferred flight training organisation for Air New Zealand.

Last checked 6 September 2026

Jump to: About · Campuses · International students · Scholarships · Accommodation

At a glance

TypePrivate Training Establishments
LocationMotueka
RegionTasman Region
Provider informationKuraData curated
Ministry ID8595

About Nelson Aviation College Limited

Nelson Aviation College (NAC) is a flight training institution based in Motueka, New Zealand, established in 1978. The college is led by Giles Witney as CEO, with Katrina Witney serving as Finance Manager.

NAC employs 18 instructors, structured across three categories: 3 A Category Flight Examiners, 12 B Category Instructors, and 3 C Category Instructors. The college's stated focus is on individual attention in flight training, with an emphasis on flight safety and professional pilot development.

Campuses

Nelson Aviation College operates from two bases in the Nelson-Tasman region.

  • Motueka Base — located at Motueka Aerodrome, approximately 40 minutes by road from Nelson Airport. This is the college's main theory and VFR flight training base, situated in uncontrolled airspace with no Air Traffic Control.
  • Nelson Base — located at Airport House, Trent Drive, Nelson Airport. This facility serves as the college's IFR training headquarters, where students train on glass cockpit-equipped aircraft using VOR, ILS, and GPS navigational aids alongside scheduled commercial operations.

International Students

Nelson Aviation College (NAC) offers pilot training to international students. Professional course enrolments require aptitude testing and an interview — conducted via Skype for overseas applicants or on-site for those already in New Zealand. Acceptance onto professional courses is conditional on providing a NZ CAA Class 1 Aviation Medical Certificate. Students are typically notified of acceptance within two weeks of their interview.

International students intending to study for longer than 12 weeks must obtain a student visa from their nearest New Zealand High Commission before travelling. Visa processing can take up to six weeks. Where course fees are paid in instalments, Immigration New Zealand will issue a student permit only for the duration covered by each instalment. Limited paid work is permitted under student visa conditions, subject to hourly restrictions set by Immigration New Zealand.

Key visa documentation requirements include:

  • A passport valid for at least three months beyond the intended departure date from New Zealand
  • A Medical and Chest X-ray Certificate (INZ1007) if the stay exceeds 12 months

Medical and travel insurance is mandatory for all international students. NAC can arrange coverage through Southern Cross Insurance on request. Most international students are not entitled to publicly funded health services in New Zealand; the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) covers accident-related costs for temporary visitors but does not cover all medical expenses. Overseas applicants seeking a New Zealand medical certificate must use a New Zealand-designated medical examiner listed in the CAANZ Medical Directory.

Under the statutory withdrawal and refund rules, the following refund entitlements apply to international students who withdraw within the statutory period:

Course duration Refund entitlement
Three months or longer NAC may retain up to 25% of fees paid; deductions must be justifiable
Greater than five weeks but less than three months At least 75% refund (if withdrawn by end of day five)
Less than five weeks At least 50% refund (if withdrawn by end of day two)

Subject area: Aviation

The Ministry of Education groups Nelson Aviation College Limited under Aviation — the broad field of education and training it's classified under in the official tertiary directory.

Aviation

Address

Where Nelson Aviation College Limited is based, taken directly from the Ministry of Education's own address record for this provider.

  • StreetQueen Victoria Street
  • CityMotueka
  • Postcode7143
  • Territorial authorityTasman District
  • RegionTasman Region

No coordinates are published for tertiary providers in this dataset, so no map is shown here.

Contact Nelson Aviation College Limited

Find the published contact details for Nelson Aviation College Limited, including its phone number, website and other available contact information.

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Contact details combine official Ministry of Education records with information published on Nelson Aviation College Limited's own website, reviewed by the KuraData team on 16 September 2026.

Other Aviation providers

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Scholarships

Nelson Aviation College offers three Private Pilot Licence Theory Scholarships, each valued at $4,500 NZD, to applicants who meet standard minimum entry criteria for the NZ Diploma in Aviation but lack the required academic qualifications. Each scholarship covers the cost of the PPL theory course only; exams, books, and equipment are not included. One scholarship is awarded to each of the following:

  • A New Zealand Citizen living in New Zealand
  • A New Zealand Māori student living in New Zealand
  • A Pacific Island student living in New Zealand

Accommodation

Nelson Aviation College Limited (NAC) offers students three accommodation options: NAC-owned and operated onsite accommodation, self-catering private accommodation, and homestay. All pricing is in New Zealand dollars.

Curated by the KuraData team from Nelson Aviation College Limited's own website, reviewed 16 September 2026.

Data source