OLD OVERSEAS HANGAR

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29139, 26 February 1960, Page 16

OLD OVERSEAS HANGAR

Negotiations For Renting Negotiations for renting space in the No. 3 hangar at Christchurch airport are under way. With the opening of the overseas wing of the airport terminal this week a large proportion of the hangar has become vacant. This big hangar, owned by the City Council, was used as the international terminal with Customs, health and immigration facilities from June, 1951. The occupiers have been the Canterbury Aero Club, Tasman Empire Airways and several light aircraft operators. T.E.A.L. i§ still using part of the hangar for some storage and for its maintenance headquarters at Christchurch. It is proposed that the aero club remains where it is; but it is possible that the T.E.A.L. engineering section and storage, and the minor operators would be accommodated elsewhere. It is understood that T.E.A.L. would prefer its maintenance section to be as close to the international passenger terminal as possible. Sketch plans, prepared for the redesigned No. 3 hangar, incorporate a major change in the interior which will involve the removal of most of the partitions. This modification would enable the hangar to be returned to its original use—aircraft storage and maintenance. “If negotiations are successful it is possible that a light aircraft operator will be offered the bulk of the space available,” the airport manager (Mr A. I. R. Jamieson) said yesterday.