COOK STRAIT AIR TAXIS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26987, 12 March 1953, Page 10

COOK STRAIT AIR TAXIS

AERO CLUB SERVICES AFFECTED STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF REGULATIONS (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 11. | Strict enforcement of existing flight] regulations for commercial aircraft operating across Cook Strait has stopped the Marlborough Aero Club’s air taxi service, and has temporarily affected the Wellington Aero Club’s service. The Civil Aviation branch of the Air Department has issued instructions that aircraft using Cook Strait must be able to glide in from either side. This means that the mini- ' mum ceiling would have to be about I 5000 ft. Most single-engined aircraft would have to fly considerably higher. The Marlborough Aero Club has only single-engined aircraft, and enforcement of the regulations has caused the club to cancel all its flights because its planes could not operate at such a high ceiling in all weathers. The Wellington Aero Club has two twin-engined Geminis. as well as a single-engined Proctor and Auster, on its taxi service, and would therefore I not be affected. except that the I Geminis are temporarily out of comj mission, and the Club will have to con- | tinue an irregular service—whenever I weather permits—with its Auster and ] Proctor.

The Nelson Aero Club, which also has a minor straits service, will be only slightly affected, because the regulations do not interfere with the operations of its Gemini. The president of the Wellington Aero Club (Mr R. K. Jones) said today that the club would be able to i continue its usual service quite ade- | quately using only the two Geminis. i Enforcement of the regulations would ; mean that any service with sjnglej engined aircraft •would be practically ; finished. The club had always com- ' plied with the regulations, but in the ‘ present case there had been a difference of interpretation with the de- ; partment on their meaning, and that led to the present instruction, he said.