Long wait for airstrip

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 2

Long wait for airstrip

By

LES BLOXHAM

travel editor

Talks will be held in Hokitika next month in a bid to clear the way for work to begin on the restoration of the Franz Josef airstrip. The old strip, a vital tourist amenity for the glacier village, was wiped out 13 months ago when the Waiho River burst its banks and took a short cut to the sea.

The river dumped thousands of tonnes of boulders and gravel over the area on December 29, 1984.

Since then, attempts by residents, local businessmen, tourist organisations, airlines, and the Westland County Council to have the strip rebuilt have become bogged down in a bureaucratic quagmire. The Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport has still to make up its mind as to who will manage the airfield and collect the landing fees. This will be the main issue to be settled when Ministry and local

body officials meet -on February 17. The Ministry has approved the site for the new strip — on Crown land running parallel and 100 metres to the south of the old strip. The work will cost $450,000. The Government has approved contributing its share of this cost. The balance will be met by the Mount Cook Group (it has already paid $73,000),. the Helicopter Line, the Westland County Council, and other organisations that will use the airfield. In 1984, the old strip recorded more than 11,000 aircraft movements.

The Mount Cook company has already paid dearly for the loss of the strip. At peak times before the flood, its popular ski-plane flights had required as many as six aircraft to meet the demand.

Today, the company is using only one or two skiplanes from a top-dressing strip on a farm about skm from the village.

Square with Graham Wardrop, Dave and Mark, and The Great McGonagal—magician. 8.3# p.m. to 9.30 p.m.: North Hagley Park, Hot Under The Spot, a chance for new and aspiring musical acts to be performed. Holiday programme Secondary school pupils: 2 p.m. to 4 p.mj North Hagley Park, orienteering, $2. 9.45 a.m. to 4.15 p.mu Victoria Lake, yachting, one-hour sessions, $2.50. Primary school pupils: 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.: Diamond Harbour, day trip, $5. 11 a.m. to midday: Q.E.11 Park, synchronised swimming course, telephone 886-079. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Q.E.11 Park, pool fun, 50c.

Tourists have to be ferried by mini-bus to and from the strip which has no toilets or shelters.

The company also had to pay $6OOO to have the strip extended 60 metres to clear fertiliser bins at the eastern end. In addition, it pays the local farmer a fee for each landing. The Helicopter Line is still flying from a pad near the old airstrip, but its helicopter can carry only half the load of the ski-planes. Mr Ralph Fegan, a Franz Josef businessman, has been trying to get things moving towards the strip’s restoration for more than a year.

All he has received to date have been letters and telegrams of promises from the Minister of Transport, Mr Prebble. On November 14, Mr Prebble said he did not expect construction to be delayed. On December 3 he said work would begin as soon as practicable. Shortly before Christmas he said he wanted to see

the airstrip reinstated as soon as possible. Yesterday, a spokesman for the Minister’s office confirmed to "The Press” that Mr Prebble was “very concerned” over the delays. The Westland County Council is also concerned. The County Clerk, Mr J. W. Olsen, said the council had been doing its best to get the job started, but had been frustrated in its dealings with the Ministry.

The Director of Civil Aviation, Mr Stewart Mclntyre, said the question to be resolved now was who would manage the airfield. “The Press” asked the Mount Cook company yesterday whether it would be prepared to take on that task. “We wouldn’t chase the job, but if the Ministry came to us and asked, we would say yes,” said the deputy chief executive, Mr Michael Corner. “We would hate to see any further delays simply on that account”