WIGRAM AIR STATION

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24982, 17 September 1946, Page 6

WIGRAM AIR STATION

CHANGE IN STATUS NOT INTENDED MINISTER’S STATEMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, September 16. “There is no intention of interfering with the status of the flying training school at Wigram,” said the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) to-day, when his attention was drawn to reports current in Christchurch. “Wigram is particularly suited to be the main flying training school of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. I can’t say how the impression arose that there was to be any change in its status,” said the’ Minister. Mr Jones also discussed briefly the future of Harewood aerodrome as part of the commercial aviation network. Mr* Jones said the fact that Wigram did not have paved runways had nothing to do with its use as a flying school. An airfield such as Wigram could handle many more landings and take-offs by training aircraft than an even larger field on which aircraft were confined to paved runways. In addition, it was most necessary in the initial training of pilots that an aircraft should be able to land directly into the wind at all times. Paved runways would prevent this at times. Mr Jones said it would cost £750,000 to provide paved runways at Wigram for heavy service aircraft, and this expenditure was not warranted because the present function of the station was training. The two main operation stations of the Air Force were at Whenuapai and Ohakea, and they were equipped with runways. There was no justification for a third airfield of type at present. If later there was a military need for a station with paved runways in the South Island it could best be considered in conjunction with the needs of civil aviation. Consideration was being given to a proposal to extend Harewood with stabilised surfaces to meet the day and night requirements of commercial aircraft. Mr Jones said no decision had yet been made about the control of Harewood. If the Christchurch City Council wished to retain control of the aerodrome, and was prepared to bring it up to requirements, no doubt that could be arranged. Similarly, if it wished the Government to take Harewood over he saw no reason why that should not be arranged. Discussing the possible development of trans-Tasman services, Mr Jones said it was impossible to say at this stage what the future would bring. If it were decided that there should be a terminal in the South Island the claims of the various centres would be considered on their merits. Mr Jones also announced to-day the purchase of Mangere aerodrome by the Government. He said the Auckland Aero Club was one of the few aero clubs which had owned its own field. The club approached the Government to take the aerodrome over, and so relieve the club of a substantial financial commitment. The Government had agreed. The club would continue to operate from Mangere, as would* the National Airways -Corporation. -