GREYMOUTH AERO CLUB

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 July 1936, Page 12

GREYMOUTH AERO CLUB

ANNUAL REPORT. The Chairman of the Executive of the Greymouth Aero Club (Inc.), Mr F. A. Kitchingham, will present the following report to the annual meet-' ing of the Club, to-morrow evening: The membership of the Club as al. the 31st March, 1936, was:—Financial members 58, unfinancial members 54. A number of the unfinancial members are persons who joined the Club in its early stages merely for the purpose of helping it along, and without any expectation of receiving any material benefits. The thanks of the Club are due to those persons for their help, and, possibly, some of them will see their way to assist further now that the Club is going to function fully. We now have eight pilot members comprising: Two A license, and six A endorsed. There are also eleven ah initio pupils. At least twelve members will take up training as soon as the local 'drome is licensed. Immediately the new Borough Council was elected last year your Committee took steps to impress on councillors the necessity of pressing, forward the Blaketown Aerodrome project; ultimately after much consideration the_ .whole, scheme was * left to the Public Works Department which has pushed forward the work with such success that apart from portion of the cross-lagoon runway which has still to be filled, the whole area has been levelled and a portion surfaced with binding material; if is expected that a runway suitable for Club machines will be available in a few weeks’ time, and that the 'drome will be licensed for commercial purposes by September next, when the West Coast will be linked with Nelson, Blenheim, and Wellington by regular air service. Considerable growth of grass, etc., has occurred on the 'drome but owing to the sharp, non-binding nature of some of the sand, it cannot be said that the problem of covering the 'drome with verdure is definitely solved.

The West Coast United Aero Club (Inc.) which is composed of the seven constituent clubs of Greymouth, Reefton, Westport, Hokitika, Ross, Wataroa, and Ikamatua received 'plane ZK.ADO, on loan from the Government on May 24, 1935. Unfortunately, the 'plane was totally destroyed less than four weeks later and your Club lent £B5 to the United Club to enable it (with the help of other Clubs and private persons) to purchase ZK. AAZ. from the Wellington Aero Club. The United Club, in May last, appointed Flight Lieut. W. F. Parke as its pilot-instructor; he has been flying ever since 1914 and has proved an excellent instructor and a tireless worker. In March 1936, the Government sent ZK.ADZ to the Coast on loan to the United Club, so that it now has two planes for training purposes. Greymouth trainees have, of course, had to go to Hokitika for training, and it. says much for their keenness that in addition to their transport expenses between Greymouth and Hokitika, they paid £525 9/7 to the United Club for flying fees. Pilots R. S. Grant and F. Molloy, I. Quinney, A. J. McDowall, F. Shallcrass and H. W. De Castro have all done extensive cross-country flying during the year. Hangar and Club Rooms: It was found that the cost of these was going to be much greater than the Club could stand unless its finances were strengthened. An appeal was consequently launched) and a sum of £3Bl was realised. Tenders have been called for the construction of the hangar, club instructor’s, and caretaker’s rooms, and workshop. Our thanks are due to Mr Sinclair Trotter for the great amount of time spent in investigations elsewhere and in preparing plans and specifications, so that the Club will have a thoroughly up-to-date building at the lowest possible cost. The annual ball, as usual, proved successful, and resulted in a profit of £23/8/5. As will be seen from the balance sheet the Club is in a relatively strong position financially, but it is doubtful if -the funds will prove equal to the task of completing the hangar and club rooms in their entirety, and may be there will be an appeal for voluntary labour by Club members.

Your Comnjittee have written off £35 of the £B5 lent to the United Club; this was done because the United Club was associated with the Greymouth Club in the appeal for funds. Mr E. J. Hay found difficulty in attending meetings, and to secure the benefit of full representation, Mr Eric Goode was asked to act as coopted member and has so acted since December last. The Club tenders jts thanks to the Press and local bodies for their assistance in the cause of aviation and in the provision of the aerodrome, to the multitude of workers who assisted in the Club’s appeal for funds, to the Public Works Department and its District Engineer and Assistant-Engineer and to the ’drome workers, who demonstrated their ability to work given the proper conditions.