AIRPORT MANAGER’S REPORT ON HAREWOOD

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28758, 2 December 1958, Page 7

AIRPORT MANAGER’S REPORT ON HAREWOOD

The results of his four-month overseas tour had provided a lot of the answers to the problems that would confront the City Council in providing a functional airport and in making it pay, said the Christchurch airport manager (Mr A. I. R. Jamieson) in his initial report to the council last evening. There had been a considerable growth in air travel in the last 10 years, but the growth of facilities to handle the increasing air travellers had not been so apparent, he said. There must be no misunderstanding as to who was the operator of the airport, he said. No man could serve two masters, and the Civil Aviation Administration must rely on the city's integrity to protect its investment and leave the, city to negotiate on its behalf. Access to the terminal building was of paramount importance, and early consideration would have to be given to the final layout of the roading system within the airport and the location pt parking areas, Mr Jamieson continued.

It was important that the council should not saddle itself with large non-revenue owning public space. To pay, a terminal building should have about 45 per cent, of revenue-producing rented space. ' Likely Concessions A typical list of the concessions likely to be accommodated within the terminal building were given by Mr Jamieson as rental car, food and beverage, news stand and sundry sales, gifts, novelties and souvenirs, vending machines, an advertising concession, insurance sales and parking lot concession. Of the public address system for the airport, Mr Jamieson said he favoured the airport owning and operating the system, charging the airlines for use. The City Council would be manning its own telephone exchange, and he had seen two examples where public address systems were linked to the telephone exchanges satisfactorily. In drawing up plans for allocating concessions, consideration must also be given to such organisations as banks and tourist and publicity offices. The three main hangars at the airport were owned by the Crown, the report continued. Ownership was further complicated by the fact that the National Airways Corporation had added to the two it leased. The City Council maintained them. Mr Jamieson recommended that application be made to the Treasury to have the ownership transferred to the council. American Use Consideration would also have to be given to entering into a formal contract with the United States Government. It was understood that the Government’s policy was that no charges should be levied on United States Government aircraft using an airfield in New Zealand, but from discussions Mr Jamieson had with the Americans he had found that they did not wish the council to be ouit of pocket because of them. Regrassing of the parking area last year was not debited to the United States. That was a user charge as opposed to landing fees or ground rentals, and he considered that the council could justifiably ask for some compensation. He considered that there should be a levy of Id a gallon on all fuel served to United States Government planes. Nowhere in the United States did Government aircraft enjoy rent-free privileges on civil fields. Normally, abroad, except in Europe and some isolated cases in the United States, commercial airlines were exempt from fuel flowage because they paid landing charges, Mr Jamieson said. However, at a considerable number of airfields the penalty was laid on the oil company. It was generally conceded that no operator on an airfield could operate as lucrative a business as an oil company on such a small piece of land. Levy On OU Companies He recommended that the council should negotiate with the oil companies on a small fee for every gallon of fuel put into storage on the airport. The present system of field maintenance left . a lot to be desired, he said, recommending that from next year the council should endeavour to buy Its own equipment, house and maintain it and depreciate it through its own airport accounts. Vehicles used at the airport

should be equipped with radio, he said. Of the staff needed for the airport. he said that early next year the telephone exchange would have to be manned and janitors provided. It would be necessary to increase the guard to give 24hour coverage. Consideration would also have to be given to supplying a permanent fire unit for domestic requirements. No increase was envisaged, in the field maintenance staff. The airport office staff would be the manager and his secretary and probably a senior clerk would have to be engaged for statistical and bookkeeping work. Runway Extension Early consideration should be given to extending the instrument runway by at least 2000 feet, Mr Jamieson said after discussing the future plans for Christchurch airport as a jet terminal. Of navigational aids, he said Christchurch was on a very low priority for an improvement in the primary aid. A close study of. modem aids, and bearing In mind Christchurch weather, had convinced him that ground control approach was not necessary. Instead, a cheaper installation of the instrument landing system together with an Omni range would be more adequate for Christchurch. An early approach would be made to the Civil Aviation Administration for a policy statement on those aids.

After discussing public relations and advertising the airport, Mr Jamieson said that separate reports on various phases of his report would be made as time allowed. Council Decisions After receiving Mr Jamieson’s report, the council agreed that there should be a discussion with the Civil Aviation Administration and the Ministry of Works to discuss a master functional plan, a zoning plan and the possibility of engaging Mr Leigh Fisher, an American airport consultant, for advice. The public address system should be owned and operated by the airport authority, the council agreed, and, roading within the airport should be covered by the aerodrome by-law. The airport manager was authorised to discuss with the Government the transfer of the Government-owned hangars- and to discuss with the oil companies a levy for fuel flowage.

HOUSE AND CAR

Purchase By Council The City Council bought a car for its airport manager (Mr A. I. R. Jamieson) last evening, and agreed that he should have a house close to the airport. When the airport committee recommended acceptance of a tender of £l23B—the highest of four tenders submitted —for a car, Cr. M. A. Connelly, M.P., asked why the most expensive car had been chosen.

“Taking everything into consideration, it was considered that the car was the better value,’’ replied the chairman (Cr. A. R. Guthrey). “What are the conditions of tenancy?” asked the DeputyMayor (Cr. L. G. Amos) when the committee reported that the airport manager should live close to the airport. That would be the subject of another report. Cr. Guthrey said. In the meantime the council’s approval was wfmted to the proposal that a house should be built on Russley road.

When the council was asking the Waimairi and Paparua County Councils not to permit housing subdivisions near the airport, was it now doing something it was asking others not to do? asked Cr. Connelly.

"No, it is airport property,’’ said the Mayor (Mr G. Manning).

Cr. Guthrey said the house was being built as a single unit. What was being forbidden was subdivision.

Vampires tn Army Exercise.— Vampire jet aircraft from Ohakea flew more than 15d sorties and covered 35,000 miles in four days of Intensive flying in support of the Army’s divisional exercises at Walouru. The 12 aircraft involved flew a total of 118 hours in close support of ground forces and in air-to-air combat.—(PA.)