AIR FREIGHT OF EGGS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27426, 12 August 1954, Page 10

AIR FREIGHT OF EGGS

OAMARU CARGOES HELD UP LOAD RESTRICTION AT AIRPORT •'The Press" Special Service OAMARU, August 11. Because of a weight restriction placed on aircraft operating from the Oamaru airpjrt at Hilderthorpe, no eggs are being sent from ithe district to the North Island by air freight. Bristol Freighters fully loaded are not permitted to land or leave the airport. This restriction is the result of an incident there two weeks ago. when a Bristol Freighter struck a soft patch and sank 18 inches into the ground when landing. The main runway has been reduced in length, but not sufficiently to prevent partly-loaded aircraft from landing and taking off. In the meantime, eggs which were regularly consigned to the North Island through Oamaru and Paraparaumu are now being taken to Christchu: h by surface transport and then to the Noilh Island by air. The weight restriction has also curtailed freight-carrying activities from the North Island to Oamaru. Until the incident, fully-loaded * aircraft with freight for all parts of the southern portion of the South Island were landing twice a week, and each aircraft was returning with a full consignment of 600.000 dozen eggs. Mr E. C. Smart, district commissioner of the Ministry of Works, which controls aerodrome operations* at Hilderthorpe. said that only one runway was affected by the soft patch, and this had been shortened from 5000 feet to 3800 feet to allow work to begin. Although the repair of the ground was not a big job, it might take some time. Fully-laden Bristol Freighters could land on the shortened runway, however, and he exoected the restrictions would be lifted in the very near future.