Downgrading Of Rongotai Proposed

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32360, 28 July 1970, Page 28

Downgrading Of Rongotai Proposed

WELLINGTON, July 27. A proposal to downgrade Rongotai Airport is under consideration by the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport. The proposal is that the airport should be graded for 92 per cent of its length, and not 100 per cent

The Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon) said today that the views of airlines were being sought The controller of flight operations for the Civil Aviation Division (Mr E. T. Kippenberger) said today that the effective length of the airport would be reduced to increase the safety margin. At present the landing length at Rongotai was 5350 feet A reduction to 92 per cent of the runway would reduce the effective length to 4920.

land safely in a distance of 4920 feet instead of 5350 feet

“This does not affect the present operation at Rongotai because the aircraft being used do not require the full runway," he said. This is a measure for the future.” The proposed safety measure was considered necessary for Wellington because of weather peculiarities, sometimes the worst in New Zealand, that resulted in turbulence and the reversal of wind near the surface in light wind conditions.

The full use of the runway would still be available. It would be the aircraft landing weight that would be affected. The aircraft would have to