COMMERCIAL AIRPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22131, 10 June 1935, Page 10

COMMERCIAL AIRPORT

MANGERE IMPROVEMENTS EARLY START ANTICIPATED WORK FOR THREE HUNDRED MEN An early start is expected to he made with the improvement and development of the Auckland Aero Club's aerodrome at Mange re to make it suitable for use by commercial aircraft, according to a Public Works Department official. The work calls for 1500 men on full time, on a basis similar to that adopted for the alterations in progress at Hobsonville Air Base, "The proposal is to develop Mangere into a B class aerodrome, that is to all intents and purposes one suitable for machines on internal air lines in New Zealand, but not for an overseas terminal," the official said on Saturday. "It will provido a ground in the meantime for the services planned to be commenced in October, and, in any case, allowing that an airnort proper is later developed in Auckland, Mangere will make an alternative ground for use in emergency."

Tho work to be undertaken at Mangere will consist purely of levelling and turfing, and tho present scheme does not include tho construction of hangars and other buildings, ho added. It is hoped to arrange the work in such a manner as to cause no undue interference with club flying.

Tho scheme provides for the development of a six-way flying field, each of tho three two-way runs to have practically a billiard-table surface, and to bo 165vds wide. The work will involve approximately 100,000 cubic yards of levelling, and the re-turfing of over 50 acres of land, an area equal to that of many a dairy farm.

The longest runway, of 780 yds, will extend from the vicinity of the club's hangar toward the north-eastern boundary, and will coincido with the direction of the prevailing .smith-westerly wind. Some 32,000 cubic yards of levelling will be involved in constructing the runway, as there is a gully to be filled in and general levelling to bo done. The second run will be almost due north and south, and 740 yds long, after 37,000 cubic yards of levelling has been completed. The third, extending approximately east and west for 654 yds, will be made possible by fdling in a big gully in the eastern corner of the property and doing in all nearly 32,000 cubic yards of levelling.

Hummocks round the outskirts of the present flying field, which have to bo removed to enable the extended runways to be made, will provide the necessary spoil for filling in the various gullies and depressions. When the levelling has been completed the returfing will be undertaken, the ultimate surface of the runways being smooth, unbroken grass.