The Aviation Industry Association's chief executive says the flight training industry should be reviewed, following the second fatal training crash in just over a fortnight.
Flight Training Manawatu instructor Jess Neeson died along with student Patricia Smallman near the Taonui Airfield near Feilding after their Cessna 152 was involved in a collision with another plane on Monday afternoon.
Ms Smallman was at the controls of the Cessna at the time of the mid-air collision and had already done 90 hours of flight training.
A male foreign student in another Cessna survived after managing to land his plane safely and suffered only minor injuries.
CAA says no problem with flying schools
The Civil Aviation Authority says two crashes involving training flights in as many weeks is unfortunate and tragic but no reflection on the quality of flight instruction in New Zealand.
The crash is the second involving a training flight in two weeks, after an instructor and his student were badly injured when their plane crashed in the Ruahine Ranges on 12 July.
Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson, Bill Sommer, says he does not believe there are problems with the flight training industry in New Zealand.
"We have very good quality training schools, very well run (with) excellent training facilities, well-maintained aircraft and good quality instructors, so there are no real issues there. It's unfortunate that we've had two accident in the last two weeks."
Mr Sommer says he is not aware of any issues concerning the flying school involved in Monday's crash.
However, the Aviation Industry Association's chief executive, Irene King, says she believes it's time for a review of the flight training industry.
She says New Zealand has a very high reputation for the quality of its training programmes, but the risks need to be examined.
Conditions fine, says flying school boss
Flight Training Manawatu chief executive Michael Bryant says it appears the planes collided in fine conditions.
He told Morning Report on Tuesday the planes would have been in communication with each other and should have been aware of each other's positions.
Mr Bryant says that he has spoken with the survivor, aged in his 20s, and praised his ability to land the plane.
"He is very shaken up, but he's uninjured otherwise, and he did an extremely good job in getting it back to the airfield and making a good landing."
Crash investigation begins
Transport Accident and Investigation Commission chief investigator Tim Burfoot says examinations of both planes will take place on Tuesday and any information from eyewitnesses is welcome.
Mr Burfoot told Morning Report that navigation provider Airways New Zealand may have radar data it can use to investigate the crash.
The airspace around the aerodrome is not controlled by Airways New Zealand, but it may have information and any radar coverage it has of the Cessnas will be investigated, he says.
