LARGER AIRPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22608, 22 December 1936, Page 10

LARGER AIRPORT

MANGEEE EXTENSIONS

SPACIOUS HANGAR PLANNED 'TERMINAL OF NEW SERVICE MACHINES FROM WELLINGTON The development of the Mangere Aerodrome as Auckland's airport is to be carried a further stage forward to prepare for the inauguration of the first Auckland-Wellington passenger and mail service by Union Airways of New Zealand, Limited. An agreement has been concluded between Union Airways and the Auckland Aero Club for the use of the aerodrome by the company from April 1 next as the northern terminal of the new service. The negotiations were conducted on behalf of Union Airways by its gener.il manager, Mr. F. Maurice Clarke, who recently visited Auckland. A contract is shortly to be let for the erection of a hangar to house one or more of the three Lockheed Llectra 10-passenger monoplanes which are being imported from America for use in the service. The building, which will be similar to the company's hangar at Dunedin, is to include a workshop fully equipped for routine overhaul of machines and engines. Normally one machine will be housed overnight at Mangere and one at Rongotai, Wellington, while the third, or standby, machine will be maintained in the headquarters hangar at Palmcrston North.

Improvement of the Field The site of the new building has not been finally determined, but it will probably adjoin the hangar of the Auckland' Aero Club, which has agreed to place its facilities at the disposal of the company's! staff and passengers. The layout is being arranged as far as possible to permit the convenient location of further buildings, which will be required when, as is expected, internal air services are established to link Auckland with North Auckland, the East Coast and other districts. Meanwhile good progress is being made with the enlargement of the landing field, and the principal runway on the line of the prevailing -wind is available for use by aircraft of almost any size. It is now stated that the runway could be further extended to a total length of 1200 yds., and as the approaches are clear of obstructions tliis distance would be in effect greater than on many aerodromes. When all the undulating ground is levelled and depressions are filled three good runways will be provided, enabling the field to be used by large passenger aeroplanes under most conditions. Anniversary Day Display So far forward is the reconstruction that it is planned to hold a large flying display on Anniversary Day, January 29, to reopen the aerodrome. Union Airways will send one of its 12-pas-senger Do Havilland 86 four-engined air-liners to Auckland for the occasion. The machine, which will be one of the largest yet seen here, is to be flown from Palmerston North by way of New Plymouth for the purpose of gathering data to be used in the Auckland-Well-ington service. The air-liner will remain in Auckland for four days, and week-end passenger flights will be undertaken. It is hoped that a large formation flight will be made over Auckland on the morning of Anniversary Day, including aircraft of many types and sizes. In these will probably be included the fast air ambulance machine which the Auckland Aero Club has on order and which is due to arrive by the City of Manchester from New York on Christmas Day. As this machine is of a type new to the Dominion it will be assembled under the supervision of Air Forc<> officials.