An avid aviation enthusiast emailed SunLive on Wednesday morning to point out that a plane had done a ‘slingshot departure' from Tauranga airport.

The email says it was the 6.30am flight to Wellington.

'This is a first for Tauranga. It is usually used where runways are too short, not the case here, or when there have been noise complaints about the pre-dawn departures from residents under the flight path.”

A spokesperson from Tauranga City Council says they haven't heard the term ‘slingshot departure before.'

'The runway is not too short and we have not had any noise complaints recently.

'The pilot did a full power brake release take off which they can do from time to time depending on runway length (not the case here), temperature, wind direction or the climb gradient they have planned or are required to perform.”