Authority Refuses Aircraft Licence

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32301, 20 May 1970, Page 12

Authority Refuses Aircraft Licence

The Air Services Licensing Authority yesterday refused an application by Patchett Tours, Ltd, for an additional aircraft licence and the removal of restrictions on its present activities. The Authority repeated the direction it. gave to the company last October to set its financial house in order before it would consider the application. The application was opposed by Mount Cook Airlines whose counsel (Mr B. McClellan) described Patchett Tours as a “fly-by-night company with no worth-while organisation behind it” Patchett tours sought an additional licence for an aircraft equipped with wheels or floats and the removal of restrictions which prevent its aircraft from using the airports at Queenstown, Te Anau and Manapouri; limit flights from Christchurch to waterways at Mount Cook, Queenstown, and Manapouri to hunting, fishing and shooting parties; limit joyriding and scenic flights to 30 minutes duration.

The authority comprised Mr J. H. Tiller (chairman), Air Commodore R. J. Cohen, Mr B. R. Rae and Mr H. B. Smith. Mr F. T. Young, of the Ministry of Transport, assisted the Authority. A major shareholder in I Patchett Tours, Mr W. K.i Wakeman said in evidence! that the restrictions imposed on the company's licence! made it useless to promote any activity. He said recent expansion and projected expansion of the tourist industry left room for his kind of service in the South Island without prejudicing the position of Mount Cook Airlines. Another Mr J. R. Reid, said that during the last three months his company had had to refuse business from overseas clients be-

ciuse it did not have authority to fly into the areas where they wanted to go. The commercial manager of Mount Cook Airlines (Mr A. McWhirter) said his company carried about 60,000 passengers a year on scheduled and charter flights with an average loading of slightly more than 51 per cent. Most of the passengers were overseas visitors who were booked as far as 18 months ahead. Counsel for Patchett Tours (Mr J. H. M. Dawson) said that his clients had done a great deal to reorganise their affairs to the satisfaction of the authority. The company took a responsible attitude in its affairs, and Mr Wakeman was one of the most experienced airmen in the country. He said the objecting company had started in a small way; the shortage of charter aircraft in Christchurch was contrary to the public interest.