AUCKLAND AIRPORT

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 205, 30 August 1935, Page 14

AUCKLAND AIRPORT

COUNCIL'S INQUIRIES. MANY TECHNICAL ASPECTS. ADVICE FROM MR. GATTY. The steps which are being taken to secure an airport for Auckland were explained in a report from the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, which came before tVe Auckland City Council last evening. The Mayor said that the Controller of Civil Aviation, Wing-Commander T. M. Wilkes, and the aerodrome engineer, Mr. A. E. Gibson, of the Public Works Department, would visit Auckland next week to confer with the finance committee. The committee had been collecting data and as soon as the scheme was in definite shape the Mayors of contiguous boroughs would be invited to discuss it, so that they in turn could refer it to their respective councils. After that was done he would call a conference of the local bodies and others interested with the object of obtaining a considered judgment. It would bo futile to call a conference at the present juncture before exhaustive inquiries were completed and before something tangible could be submitted for scrutiny and constructive criticism. There were many technical aspects to be considered and the question had to be approached with care. Reports had been obtained from every possible source and those would be supplemented by a report which was being prepared by the engineer of the Auckland Harbour Board. Flying Boats Few. The Mayor said that a new element was likely to enter into consideration as the result of opinions expressed by the noted authority, Mr. Harold Gatty, who was of the opinion that there was no possible connection . between landplane operations and those of flying boats. According to Mr. Gatty there would not be as many seaplane services running out of Auckland to other parts of the North Island, as had been supposed, because the cost would be 50 per cent above the cost of services employing landplanes. Mr. Gatty predicted that the only flying boats which Auckland could expect might be those from overseas, and they would be few for some time. They could easily find their own facilities in different parts of the harbour, as all they required was a small area for slipways, hangars and moorings in sheltered waters. Mr. Gatty was definitely opposed to the contention thai large flying boats would be able to manoeuvre in such places as the upper reaches of the Tamaki River and Auckland Harbour, by reason of their size, weight and difficulty of handling. _ His opinion was that the finance committee should consider the selection of the site purely from the standpoint of a land aerodrome. The proximity of water was of advantage only by virtue of the clearness of the approach that it provided. The question of obstacles surrounding an airport was a serious one. Decause ot the development of "blind" flying which could be expected in the near future. The Mayor added that Mr. Gatty on his return to Auckland would inspect the proposed sites in company with the city engineer and that he would address a meeting of representatives of local bodies on commercial flying. A letter was received from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Pointing out that the matter was one which concerned not only the City Council, but the Harbour Board and other local bodies, the chamber suggested that a public'meeting of those interested should be called. It also submitted that the question of a site was one essentially for experts, but in any site selected provision should be made for both seaplanes and aeroplanes and the airport should be as close as possible to the heart of the city by direct communication. One for Commercial Use. Mr. B. Martin said that Mr. Gatty expressed the opinion that there should be two airports for the city, one for sport and. people learning to fly and a separate one for commercial purposes. In view of that probably Auckland would be well served by the Mangere aerodrome, while the new airport would be the commercial one. It was decided to advise the Auckland Chamber of Commerce of the steps being taken to provide a commercial airport.