Cross the Ditch 27 - 15th Anniversary Big Four

Airport(s)	YSSY,YMML,NZCH,NZWN
Started	2024-12-07 17:00
Ended	2024-12-08 09:00
Total movements	680

Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (YSSY)

Melbourne International Airport (YMML)

Christchurch International Airport (NZCH)

Wellington International Airport (NZWN)

For sixteen hours this December, the skies over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand will be filled with aircraft all on a mission to Cross the Ditch. Cross the Ditch is mostly known for its Wave Formats, but it wasn't always this way.

In honour of fifteen years of ditch crossing, this December we're returning to one of our early event formats: a Big Four.

Simply put, VATNZ and VATPAC will each be opening two of their most popular airports and staffing them throughout the day. Pilots can fly out of any city to either of the airports in the other division. (Note: the VATPAC airports will open at 6am AEDT, two hours into the event at 1900z.)

VATNZ will be operating Christchurch (NZCH) and Wellington (NZWN). VATPAC will be operating Melbourne (YMML) and Sydney (YSSY).

All eight routes cross the Southern Alps on the New Zealand end of the trip, allowing spectacular views of the largest mountain range in Oceania (weather permitting!).

The Australian end of the journey features two of the busiest airports in Australasia serving Australia's two biggest cities.

Determined pilots could potentially make it to all four cities over the course of the event.