Jet Airport Result Of Far-sighted Planning

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31088, 17 June 1966, Page 25 (Supplement)

Jet Airport Result Of Far-sighted Planning

Serving not only the people of greater Christchurch, but those of the South Island and further afield, the Christchurch international airport has reached full jet status; and future expansion to keep Christchurch on the world map is assured by the unrestricted land available.

The modern, bustling airport has been expanded tremendously since the Second World War, but the expansion is no surprise to those who know the interest the people of Christchurch have always shown in aviation.

In the First World War days of 1917 Sir Henry Wigram formed the Canterbury Aviation Company and through it more than 100 young men trained as pilots. When Sir Henry Wigram gave the company's property and adjoining land to the Government, he stipulated that if it was used exclusively by the Defence Department facilities for civilian flying should be made available somewhere else in Christchurch. Thus when the Royal New Zealand Air Force took over what is now Wigram Harewood came into being. Reflecting the community interest in aviation the City Council in October, 1936, adopted proposals for construction of an airport at Harewood and it became one of the first municipalities in the world to own and operate an airport. First Surveys The City Engineer (Mr A. R. Galbraith), in selecting the site, looked will into the future and took into account proximity to the city, room for expansion, freedom from hills, easy approach from the air and stable shingle formation of the land.

After a wartime role as a training centre for airmen, Harewood's place in the de-

velopment of aviation was recognised, and an enthusiastic team of men acting as an overseas air terminal committee began pressing for classification of the airport as international. A favourable report in 1948 by a British aviation planning expert, Sir Frederick Tymrns, helped to pave the way and in 1950, as the first commercial aircraft from overseas landed, the Prime Minister (Sir Sidney Holland) declared Christchurch to be international. 50-50 Share An agreement between the council and the Government provided that they would share equally the costs of developing and maintaining the airport, with the council retaining ownership of the land and being responsible for the administrative cost. ’ An international air race from London in October, 1953, helped to focus attention on the airport. It was obvious to the people of Christchurch that if the airport was going to advance it must have a terminal building worthy of the airfield. A promise from the Government of a temporary terminal as an extension of the National Airways Corporation building was not good enough. Again local interests combined to press for a permanent building and the Government was persuaded.

The council commissioned a private architect, Mr Paul Pascoe, to design the building and he was sent overseas to study 45 airports, their terminal facilities and their buildings. From his plan the building was constructed and to it there have been extensions and others have been planned.

The building was opened in 1960. Five years later a new scheme plan was developed to meet the growth anticipated to 1975, and it was shown that the 1972 estimates of growth had been reached last year.

After the installation of navigational aids, the airport was opened to pure jet commercial aircraft last year. This was another major achievement for Christchurch, but it was not the end. Development must be continuous to plan for the great growth expected in air traffic into and out of the city. Mr A. I. R. Jamieson, the airport manager, shows some staggering figures for the future, such as: International Passengers handled:— 1966 1970 1975 66,000 140,000 420,000 Domestic Passengers handled:— 1966 1970 1975 550,000 900,000 1,500,000 Freight carried from the airport, both internal and international, has also grown rapidly, and by 1971 will require new terminal facilities. Tourist Traffic With New Zealand all-out to capture more tourist trade, the airport must be made ready to handle them. Already, since the introduction of pure jets last year there has been a 25 per cent increase in the trans-Tasman traffic.

Financially, the airport is already a success, making no call on the general rates of the City Council. This has been achieved by careful planning on top of the enthusiasm for the civic leaders for a jet-age amenity.