CIVIL AVIATION REVIEW

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1930, Page 4

CIVIL AVIATION REVIEW

PROGRESS AND PROBLEMS. ACTIVITIES' OR AERO CLUBS. • The development of civil aviation in New Zealand has been. retarded by the cost of providing, adequate ground organisation and the difficulty experienced ■•in selecting suitable landing .grounds, . says Major-General R. Young in the annual report on the .Dominion’s' defence force's. Local bodies throughout the Domiilioti'/' however.''n6)V 'realise’ their responsibilities in this direction and are making strenuous 1 efforts-" to' provide suitabie' in , their own districts.' Selected areas, on possible air lino routes are’ being constantly exam? ined and classilied by air force officers. At.present there are in the Dominion, apart from the two air force stations, seven aerodromes licensed for the use of light aeroplanes and twelve others in various stages of development. There are 14 aero clubs, of which seven are actively training pilots. Some of these clubs have provided their own aero-* planes. . Others intend to obtain pilotinstruction by arrangement with stronger, clubs or commercial’ lirms. Five of these clubs, the Auckland, Hawke’s Bay and East Coast, Wellington, Marlborough and Canterbury Aero Clubs, have been approved, by the Government for purposes of the subsidy, and each club except Wellington has received two .broth aeroplanes, making a total of nine Government aeroplanes on loan to clubs., The Wellington Aero Club will receive a second machine when the club has made further progress. It is not possible : to, subsidise all clubs which apply for Government assistance, and the present intention is to recommend a total of seven aero clubs for the Government grant.

Since the.,inception of the. aero clubs--76 members have received pilot-training have qualified for their flying certificates. During the past -year three Moth

aeroplanes'- ' seriously ' damaged during pupil instruction have been completely rebuilt at the Wigrain aerodrome at the Government’s’■ expense. The' five clubs subsidised'by the GovernmentTiave'held air :i pageants With the object '<#’ raising funds and fostering the air sehsb- of' the’ general public. In each case three of

four service machines .piloted by Air Force officers have ’participated. As yet, no civil air lines have commenced operations in the Dominion. YL'wo comphilies’’the. Goodwin ChiieJf<*ster Avia- ( ■fl.bn-•fibmpany and the 'Hhniiltmr l Air- . ‘ 'ways, 1 Limited, have been' ‘eng'agtd ’"for the past 18 months in aerial taxi work.