BLENHEIM AS AN AIRPORT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21732, 14 March 1936, Page 9

BLENHEIM AS AN AIRPORT

IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO LANDING-GROUND JUNCTION OF TWO SERVICES (SPlfclAl. TO TH» PBBSS.I BLENHEIM, March 13. Steady progress is being made with , the work of levelling the landing area of the Blenheim aerodrome. The area which is now being prepared is to be used as a landing ground for the machines of Union Airways and Cook Strait Airwavs. The s wooobourne aerodrome is now being used by them as a landing place, and an up-to-date building has . >een erect«£. there, which will be removed\to the new site when the flying area at .the Blenheim aerodrome is ..ready... ane site chosen for this buildrngoai onthe western boundary, and. .about halfway down towards the southern end. _ Since the men engaged on this work have received better wages,and bet> ter methods have been, adopted* jtne work has gone on much more steadily than previously. There are more than 200 men engaged at the work, and the method of employing them under the contract system is proving quite satisfactory. ."* . . ■•,_"-■., Work at present is being confined to completing the levelling of the: runways' and it is expected that with good weather this part of the scheme will be complete in about three months. , , An Ideal Aerodrome The area will then be available ior the use of the two air services. When complete this will be one of the best aerodromes in the Dominion, as the fMng ground covers a very large area, and the situation is ideal for flyingThe runways will provide for landing and taking off from eight different points. They are to.be eight chains wide, and the shortest run Will be 800 yards. The distances of the runways are:—North to south 900 yds, east to west 800 yards, diagonally north-west to south-east 1200 yards; and from north-east to south-west 1100, yards.; A start has been made with the work of removing the plantation of pines on the eastern boundary, which was considered to be in the way of aeroplanes landing and taking off. A sawmill has been erected on the site, and good progress has been made in felling the trees. This will remove the only remaining obstacles, and the ground will then be cleared to allow ample room- for landing and taking off in any direction. Aero Club Progress Blenheim is fortunate in having such an ideal aerodrome only two miles from" the town. The Marlborough Aero Club, one of the first aero clubs founded in the Dominion, was the first to acquire the property for flying.

Until just recently it was owned by the Omaka Domain Board. The club has made steadv progress during its years of operation, and a year or two ago an up-to-date club house was erected. It has also a large hangar, which will probably have to be enlarged to accommodate the new Waco that has been purchased. This new aeroplane will arrive in Blenheim in about a month's time, and, it is understood,' will' he used as a taxi aeroplane for club members. As flying has always been popular in Marlborough—the club has quite a large membership—the new Waco will no doubt be in instant de? mand. especially for taking passengers to and-from Wellington.