ANTARCTIC FLIGHT
No Further Plans
(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON. July 22
The Antarctic flight of the Royal New Zealand Air Force has been closed and is not likely to begin again. This means New Zealand will have to rely entirely on the American Air Force for its communications and logistic support.
An RN.Z.A.F. spokesman said today that the cost of maintaining a special Antarctic flight, and particularly of re-equipping it with suitable aircraft, had been the main factor in the decision. Apart from lighter aircraft, which had sustained a great deal of wear. New Zealand had one single-engined de Havilland Otter when the decision was made. It had been hoped to purchase two more Otters or similar aircraft to build the flight up to an operating minimum, but the cost of new planet and equipment would have been more than £lOO.OOO. The Otter which the flight had acquired was already an Antarctic veteran when purchased. It was brought back in damaged condition, and was rebuilt at the de Havilland works at Rongotai. It spent some time at Wigram this year, and was sold to a Canadian firm last month.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CII, Issue 30190, 23 July 1963, Page 16
Word Count
190ANTARCTIC FLIGHT Press, Volume CII, Issue 30190, 23 July 1963, Page 16
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