WIGRAM AERODROME

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 September 1946, Page 3

WIGRAM AERODROME

NO CHANGE IN STATUS INTENDED QUESTION OF RUNWAYS WELLINGTON, September 16.' “There is no intention of interfering with the status of the flying training school at Wigram,” said the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) to-day, when his attention was drawn to reports current in Christchurch. “Wigram is particularly suited to be the main flying training school of the P.oyal New Zealand Air Force. I can’t say how the impression arose that there was to be any change in its status,” said the Minister. Mr. Jones also discussed briefly the future of Harewood aerodrome as part of the commercial aviation network. Mr. Jones said the fact that Wigram did not have paved runways had nothing to do with its use as a flying school. An airfield such as Wigram could handle many more landings and take-offs by training aircraft than an even larger field on which aircraft were confined to paved runways. Mr. Jones said it would cost £750,000 to provide paved runways at Wigram for heavy service aircraft, and this expenditure was not warranted because the present function of the station was training. The two main operation stations of the Air Force were at Whenuapai and Ohakea, and they were equipped with runways. There was no justification for a third airfield of their type at present. Consideration was being given to a proposal to extend Harewood .with stabilised surfaces to meet the day and night requirements of commercial aircraft. Mr. Jones said no decision had yet been made about the control of Harewood.

Mr. Jones also announced to-day the purchase of Mangere aerodrome by the Government. He said the Auckland Aero Club was one of the few areo clubs which had owned its own field. The club approached the Government to take the aerodrome over, and so relieve the club of a substantial financial commitment. The Government had agreed. The club would continue to operate from Mangere, as would the National Airways Corporation.