// Headquarters and Bases
The RNZAF's permanent facilities are structured around the three Air Force bases in New Zealand and the Air Staff at Wellington. Today's Air Force has just three bases, two in the North Island - Auckland, Ohakea, and Woodbourne at the top of the South Island. Each base is home for units unique to that base, and can host other units moving to that location on a temporary basis for exercises or operations.
A Base is a self-contained community with its own power, water reticulation, accommodation for work and domestic purposes, and has recreational facilities. Each base has a number of Defence Houses, some located within the perimeter of the base and some off base.
The RNZAF Air Staff is accommodated within the New Zealand Defence Headquarters in Defence House on Aitken Street, Wellington and the Freyberg Building. This is purely office accommodation and personnel are domiciled either in their own private residences or at the NZ Army Camp at Trentham.
The day-to-day operations of the RNZAF are directed by the Air Component Commander at the New Zealand Defence Force Joint Headquarters located at Trentham (Wellington).
The RNZAF Museum is located on Defence land which formed part of the previous Wigram Air Force Base at Christchurch.
Air Force flying operations are conducted by five operational and two training flying squadrons.
Despite its compact nature, the RNZAF's mission takes aircraft and personnel around the world. There is usually at least one aircraft, crew and sometimes support personnel somewhere in the South Pacific, South East Asia, or on the way to/from the United States or Europe. Each summer season a number of Hercules flights are conducted to the Antarctica in support of the NZ scientific research programme.
Regular deployments of operational units to the South Pacific, Australia and South East Asia are made as part of the New Zealand Defence Force mission. Individual members of the Service often travel to overseas countries to receive specialist training.