Lockheed Electra Aircraft Is Refused Permission To Land On Wanganui Airport

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 December 1949, Page 10

Lockheed Electra Aircraft Is Refused Permission To Land On Wanganui Airport

Permission for a Lockheed Electra of tho National Airways Corporation to land on the Wanganui Airport yesterday morning with ten woolbuyers was refused by the Director of Civil Aviation, Mr E. A. Gibson. Reason for the refusal is believed to be because the airport does not measure up to international standards, ana the fact that the aeroarome at Wanganui was used by Union Airways with Electras before the war does not bear any weight. The Electra was chartered by the party of woolbuyers to ponvey them from Napier to Wanganui and arrangements were made by the National Airways Corporation for the aircraft to fly from Wanganui to New Plymouth in ballast. The ballast was sent to Wanganui the previous day and was waiting atTne aerodrome yesterday morning. An omnibus was organised by the corporation to transport the passengers into Wanganui and was waiting the arrival ot the plane when advice of the cancellation of the arrangements was received from Flying Control at Palmerston North. The woolbuyers were offloaded at Palmerston North and brought to Wanganui by omnibus. . Yesterday morning the Ministry ot

Works communicated with the Wan•g.anui Airport to ascerteain the condition of the landing field and was advised by the caretaker that it was in good condition. However, it was decided to make an inspection of the field and a car was driven at high speed over the portion of the field which the Electra would have used. The surface was pronounced as being in good order.

The fact that Union Airways had used the Wanganui Airport for training purposes before the war was mentioned yesterday by a member of the Wanganui Aero Club. He stated that the company had used Electra aircraft and had taken off and landed with full loads of passengers during load tests. The aerodrome, it was pointed out, was frequently used by Oxford aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which require a much J longer run on take-off than the Elecl tras.

Yesterday there was a strong west erly wind blowing, and the runway which the Electra would have used is more than 1000 yards in length with a clear approach at either end. Under the conditions, it was stated, the Electra would have required less I than a third of the runway for landing and take-off.