HAREWOOD “WIDE OPEN" TO JETS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28536, 15 March 1958, Page 12

HAREWOOD “WIDE OPEN" TO JETS

Minister’s Assurances To Deputation

The Christchurch international airport at Harewood .is now “wide open” to the world’s airline operators. If they wish to fly in their big new pure jets, the Government will grant them permission speedily. It will also readily approve any slight extensions and other alterations to the runways which may be necessary. The agreement providing that - Whenuapai is the Dominion’s primary international airport will be amended as quickly as possible.

All these assurances were given repeatedly by the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation (Mr Mathison) last evening when he received a deputation from the Canterbury Progress League, joined by the Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, on Harewood’s claim as an alternate place of entry.

“Harewood is the only civil airport in New Zealand capable of taking all types of big aircraft in the world today,” Mr Mathison said. “I have recently given a guarantee to all overseas airline operators that if they want to use Harewood as an alternative to Whenuapai they will be given permission. I have called for the reported agreement between the Government and the airlines that Whenuapai is ‘the’ international airport for New Zealand, and when I receive the copy, I will have it amended to include Harewood. I suspect that agreement was made before we had Harewood as it is today. I have informed the overseas airlines that there will be no obstacle to their bringing in big pure jets, as planned after 1960, as Harewood will be available if they want it. The modifications required are slight.” Mr Mathison said he wished to correct at the outset an impression given by the introduction to a Press Association report from Auckland that “Auckland can have an airstrip at Mangere for jet airliners by 1963 if it agrees to meet half the cost.” That was assuming that a start was made now. But even agreement on sharing the cost of £4.7m had not yet been reached. Mr Mathison said he would repeat that he regarded internal air facilities as first priorities, and then provision for overseas airlines. It would be difficult to get the capital for major works apart from those already scheduled. and it might also be difficult to get the technicians and equipment for the Mangere project. New Overseas Links Aucklanders seemed to have the impression that Mangere would be “the” international airport for New Zealand, Mr Mathison said. But. on the advice of the Civil Aviation Administration, he forecast developments which would give Harewood two-thirds; of new services:-,-(1) Los Angeles. Honolulu, Australia, which put Auckland in the direct line; (2) Mexico, Tahiti, and New Zealand, with Christchurch on the direct line; (3) South America, Easter Island, New Zealand, with Christchurch again as the terminal. “It is conceivable that in a very short time Harewood may see two of these services,” Mr Mathison said. “And there was no disagreement in Auckland.”

Mr R. Murray, a vice-president of Pan American Airways, had said that their new pure jets would require 8000 to 12,000 ft of runway. “Harewood, with slight extensions, could take them as often as they are likely to come here,” Mr Mathison said. “I say adamantly that there is no need for anyone to by-pass New Zealand as Mr Murray suggested.” Mr Mathison emphasised that the loading classification number for Harewood (reported from Auckland as more than 50) was in fact 55, whereas Whenuapai’s rating was now 40. The £500.000 necessary to strengthen Whenuapai runways would not raise its L.C.N.—only prolong its life. Harewood, at 55, could take everything in the air at the moment for the basic 10,000 flight movements which were the normal life of a runway. There was a tolerance of 10 so that the airport could in fact take loadings of 65 in limited service. “L.C.N. is Important” The L.C.N. was important, Mr Mathison said. If a runway was subjected to loadings 10 to 25 L.C.N. higher'than approved for operating aircraft, its safe life would be reduced from 10,000 movements to 3000; if the excess was 25 to 50, the life would come down to 300; and loadings 50 to 100 higher would permit the runway to be used only in extreme emergencies. “I say quite frankly that I believe Harewood is the safest and best airport in New Zealand,” Mr Mathison said. “Its use for everything flying today should be permitted right now. Spending £500,000 on Whenuapai would only extend its life for present limited usage by five years. So the plain fact is that Harewood has got to be used to meet the new demands. “I have given overseas operators a guarantee that if they want

to use Harewood it will be permitted. If there is an agreement about using Whenuapai—and I have not yet seen a copy—it. will be redrafted. I give you an assurance that if slight extensions are required at Harewood to meet this situation, they will be made. So Harewood is wide open,” said Mr Mathison. "Does that meet your request?” There was prolonged applause. Mr H. E. Radley, president of the Progress League, presided; Mr E F. Ward, chairman of the league’s general committee, made a case for the international use of Harewood as the geographical centre of New Zealand, with all other centres brought within two hours flying time by Viscount; and Cr. A. R. Guthrey, chairman of the City Council’s airport committee, spoke of Christchurch becoming a terminal for a transAntarctic network linking this part of the world with South America and South Africa by much shorter routes.