Survey To Fix Harewood Suitability For U.S. Planes

Press, Volume C, Issue 29679, 24 November 1961, Page 12

Survey To Fix Harewood Suitability For U.S. Planes

Thirteen United States Air Force officers will make a survey of Christchurch Airport today and on Saturday to see if it is suitable for aircraft used by the Air Weather Service of the United States. The Americans arrived in Christchurch last evening after discussions in Wellington yesterday with Air Commodore R. J. Cohen, assistant Chief of Air Staff, and other senior Air Force staff officers. Also present, were officers of the Civil Aviation Administration and other Government departments interested in the United States using a New Zealand airfield as a base far aircraft engaged in weather research. The senior officer of the party, Colonel T. A. Aldrich, said last evening the party would look at the length of runways, aircraft accommodation and other servicing facilities.

Each member of the party was a specialist in his own field. They were each assigned a particular task and would meet their opposite at the airfield. When Harewood had been inspected fully the party would discuss what they had observed and a recommendation would be prepared. Colonel Aldrich said he would not be in a position to make any statements on the suitability of New Zealand airfield while in New Zealand, as the decisions would come from his senior officers in the United States. Aircraft Used

The aircraft used by the Air Weather Service were Bs7's, ClßO’s, and U2's. The 857 was used to take weather readings at lower altitudes.

the Cl3O for medium levels and the U2 for heights up and exceeding 80.000 ft. The Cl3O was used also as an escort plane for the U2. Colonel Aldrich said the aircraft not only took weather readings but also stratospheric tests for radioactivity. ‘ The aircraft had special equipment to detect radioactivity. The problems posed by hurricanes and typhoons were of particular interest to the United States because of the damage caused to the United States coastline last year. If a base was set up in New Zealand or Australia detailed attention would be paid to them, said Colonel Aldrich. In the United States large sums were spent on discovering how hurricanes and typhoons occurred and ways of preventing them. Aircraft were now equipped to fly into the eye of a storm to take readings. These indicated the severity of the storm and the direction it would take. In some cases silver iodine was sprayed into the heart of a storm in the hope that it would start rain and thus abate the storm’s full effect before it struck populated areas.