N. A.C. Workshops Prepared For Fokker Friendships

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29270, 30 July 1960, Page 7

N. A.C. Workshops Prepared For Fokker Friendships

Because, of the Fokker Friendship's high rate of equipment and ’ engine . interchangeability with the Viscount, the routine in the National Airways Corporation’s workshops is hot likely to be greatly disturbed by the new place’s introduction on New Zealand services.The biggest changes facing the engineering staff will be the changedver from hydrdnlic to a pnbumatic Control system, and having: ; to Work with fibre-glass, of which the Friendship has a considerable amount. Already, overhaul, maintenance and test equipment at 'Harewood was beihg modified: rfeady for the first Friendship’s arrival :in late November, ' said Mr A. K. a corporation technical representative, Who recently returned from Holland where he studied the plane at the Royal Netherlands Aircraft Fokker Factory at Schiphol I Airport; near Amsterdam. ~ '

The first pilot ;arid airframe courses on the Friendship have already got under - way at the corporation’s ‘ training school at Harewdod. ’ ■ . Recently 10 N’.A.C. pilots returned from Australia Where they did conversion . ‘ training on Friendships. - At Harewood, tenders have been .called for extensions to the east end of a hangar where a high-tailed dock Will be built to acconimodate the Friendship. A similar -dock was built at the west end of the hangar when the Viscounts arrived. With Mr’Clark in Holland was Mr C. Ramsey, a technical inspector. Their job; was .to 1 see that specifications laid, down by N.A.C, were carried out. ...

“A* medium-sized factory and a Very * efficierit .bne,” was Mr Clark's description .of the Sohipol factory. ,‘.‘A Friendship takes 25 weeks to assemble. The .first Friendship to arrive in New Zea-

land will be the 60th to leave the factory.". i | The Fokkers operated three factories in Holland, said Mr Clark. “The main assembly and head office is at Schiphol. A ‘detail’ manufacturing plant where such things as front-half fuselages, centre sections, wings and the control services ate made about 60 miles away at the factory at Dordrecht.”

The ■, centre sections were all transported to Schiphol by barge. Fokkers’ third factory at AvlpDiepea was ah .aircraft overhaul and repair organisation, said Mr Clark. Most of the engines and accessories on the Friendship were manufactured in England. Schiphol, Holland’s main .airport, Was much larger than anything in the Dominion. Sometimes 14 to 20 airliners were on the tarmac. Along the top of the airport’s terminal building was a promenade deck complete with sidewalk cafes and restaurants. “With; -thousands of tourists and local people patronising it, it.has become big business,” said Mr Clark.