Simulators to go?

Press, 28 March 1979, Page 6

Simulators to go?

Parliamentary reporter I |; News that Air New Zealand might move its flight simulators at Christchurch; to Mangere has not found; favour with Mr N. J. Kirk; (Labour. Sydenham). He believes it is another step towards centralising the air-' line. ' According to “Air New Zealand News," the feasibil-l ity of centralising all flight ] simulators in a new »t Mangere is now being! studied. “The existing simulator buildings at Auckland) and Christchurch would be; converted to classrooms and offices for other training; out noses.” the article says. “The project would take |wo years to complete and, would provide the company with one training organisation with central control. It I l.ould also provide for eas-[ - iaisbn with Civ;' Aviation Division on training, rod standardise rreining and tneratinp procedures between domestic and inter-

[national aircraft types, [allowing easier transition.” Mr Kirk said yesterday it : appeared that the Government was “about to manu- i facture another breach of; promise in the shotgun wed-: ding of Air New Zealand land N.A.C.” It seemed that; .the Christchurch end of Air, New Zealand would be I whittled away to nothing'' !more than an arrival and de- ; Iparture facility for air trav-j ellers. s i “This is quite contrary to i 'the assurance by the Minis-! Iter of Civil Aviation at the! itime of the merger that! 'Christchurch would not be-! :come a victim of corporate attrition. “The Labour Party is very; (concerned about any further erosion to Air New Zealand’s base in Christchurch, iChristchurch has had every) I imaginable economic kick in; the teeth that the Govern-; ment could give it, and toj consider poaching the sup-' port services provided by; Air New Zealand from

Christchurch to Auckland ; must be seen as a retrograde step,” Mr Kirk said. If the policy of phasing i out Air New Zealand’s ground training passed on to (the engineering facility and [it too were moved to Auckland, hundreds of staff members would have to sell 'homes on a depressed Christchurch market and repurchase homes on a verv 'stimulated and inflated real estate market in Auckland. “This was borne out when I the Wellington head office of N.A.C. was moved lock, [stock and rubber stamp to (Auckland last year.” Mr Kirk said. “This could be the beginning of a stiffer and more far-reaching economic blow to Christchurch and the South Island,” he said, j “Christchurch must keep the ; simulator training complex [and the Government should move to ensure this as a 'sign of good faith for the promise it made at the time 'of the merger.” .