Hawke's Bay Aviation

Daily Telegraph (Napier), 31 August 1929, Page 23

Hawke's Bay Aviation

A year of marked progress. Wanted, -A Municipal Aerodrome

WHEREAS A YEAR AG0 an aeroplane was a comparatively rare sight in Hawke's Bay, aviation during the past twelve months has made exceptionally rapid strides in the province As far as Napier is concerned, the Napier Aero Club, while an exceptionally live body in every respect, has not been able to get into active operation, owing to the fact that the club's projected landing ground has yet to receive the official sanction of the Minister of Defence, the Hon. T. M. Wilford. Once this sanction has been given the club will jump ahead with its programme for the development of aviation - in Napier. The executive even now are, figuratively speaking, straining at the leash to get the club into working order, but their hands are tied for the meantime, and all that can be cairied on is a somewhat nebulous campaign for the development of an air sense in Napier. OFFICIAL VISITS. Major L. M. Isitt, acting Director of Aviation, has paid two official visits to Napier, and on the latter occasion seemed highly pleased with the area on the side of the Tutaekuri exactly opposite the Napier Boys' High School which the club has now settled upon as the most suitable area for a landing ground. It will be remembered that when the club secured the area off the Riverbend road, thanks to the generosity of the Napier Harbour Board, it was thought that the club was well on the way towards establishment and activity, but all hopes in respect to this area dropped to zero when the Minister refused to sanction the landing area on account of the flood risk. The objection to the ground was perfectly reasonable in that it was certainly subject to flood risk. The club had considered the possibility of freeing the land from this menace by enclosing it with a ring stop bank, but this was abandoned on account of the tremendous cost which would be involved. ENTHUSIASM UNDAMPENED. The failure of their hopes in respect to the one ground did not, however, dampen the enthusiasm of the club executive in any respect whatsoever, and they lost no time in casting around for an area which would be better suited to their needs and would have a better chance of emerging from a departmental inspection with flying colours. The considerations in the selection of a suitable aerodrome are many. Seventy-five acres in the minimum size for the ground selected, the best shape being triangular, so that a

'plane in taking off and landing might have the required runway of 800 yards along each of the three sides. It was the area already referred to, opposite the Boys' High Scbool which gained the approval of the club as possessing these advantages, with the added advantage that it required little, if any, preparation to complete its preparation for a landing ground. During his last visit to Napier Major Isitt showed himself a strong supporter of the establishment of municipal aerodromes rather than wholly club aerodromes, and he reiterated the statement made when on a previous visit to Napier, that the best course to pursue was the municipal scheme. A MUNICIPAL GROUND. The club has accepted his advice, and it is probable that all the local bodies in the district (the Napier Borough Council and the Harbour Board are looked to most particularly) will be approached for grants in furthering the aims of the club in procuring the landing ground. With a municipal aerodrome it will mean that all machines landing at Napier, whether they be from other clubs or of a commercial nature, will pay, for instance, ground and hangar space fees. It has been apparent for some time that commercial aviation must come into its own in Hawke's Bay. At the present time a company for the carrying of mails and passengers by air between Napier, Gisborne and Auckland is in the process of formation, and doubtless other projects will follow the lead. The object of a municipal aerodrome would be to cater for these commercial machines, as well as for private or club aviation, and with the establishment of commercial aviation on a working basis considerable revenue should be derived from hangar fees. The close proximity of the proposed ground to the town area sbould make it particusuitable for this purpose. LOOKING TO FUTURE. The more hopeful and far-sighted members of the Aero Club executive refuse to have their spirits dampened by any Ministerial refusals, and look forward to the day when Napier will have its own busy municipal airport, with commercial machines arriving daily from all parts of tbe Dominion, bringing the town into the closest possible touch with all the busy centres of the Dominion and increasing its prosperity a thousandfold. In conversation with the representative of a big motor car selling organisation the other day, a Daily Telegraph representative was given an idea of the interest with which the growth of aviation in the Dominion is being watched by these organisations. The business man in question expressed the opinion that within the next few years his firm would be possessor of light aeroplane agencies, in the same ratio as they now hold car agencies, and would employ a staff of experts and salesmen purely for this branch of the business. THE PRIVATE OWNER. With its vast acres and huge properties Hawke's Bay should in the years to come lead the Dominion in the light aviation field as far as private ownership is concerned. Already the son of one of the province's outstanding landed proprietors and sportsmen, Mr Hamish Armstrong, has given a practical proof of the value of a light aeroplane in the aerial jaunt around Europe. Mrs W. Richmond, the first qualified lady pupil of the Hawke's Bay Aero Club, hopped across to Wanganui the other day in the club's D.H. Moth, with the club's instructor, Captain Trevor White in the unaccustomed role of passenger. The eternal feminine tbroughout the province is taking to the air as a fish takes to water, and the mere male will have to bestir himself if he does not wish to be left behind. Hawke's Bay ladies are renowned generally as the Dominion's finest horsewomen. It remains to be seen whether they can win a similar distinction in the more modern sphere of aviation. In Australia, with its huge tracts of flat country. the coming of aviation has brought the backblocks property owner into a closer touch with the social amenities of the big cities than he has ever been before, and doubtless similar conditions will in time prevail in New Zealand. One can look forward to the time when the farmer, say, on the southern-east coast will be able to dine in comfort, enter his light 'plane, fly into Napier, park his machine at the Napier municipnal aerodrome, drive into town to spend an enjoyable evening at

tbe theatre or the talkies and be in the backblocks again by midnight. THE HAWKE'S BAY CLUB. The bolding of aerial pageants in various parts of the Dominion has done much to stimulate public interest in aviation. The pageant held comparatively recently on the Hawke's Bay Aero Club's ground at Longlands attracted an attendance such as has seldom before been seen in the province, and the progress of the various events was followed with the keenest interest. The club's Moth 'plane, "Heretaunga," has had its full mead of work since the club's inception, and Captain White, the pilot instructor, is kept busily engaged in instructional work. Early every morning the services of pilot and 'plane are engaged in the instruction of pupils from the ranks of the Hastings business community, who are unable to take their lessons later in the day. The club has already a number of qualified pupils, and there are numbers more in the course of preparation for their tickets. With the increased calls upon the services of the pilot-instructor one aeroplane is quite insufficient to cope with the needs of enthusiasts in the district, and two more Moth 'planes are expected to arrive in the immediate future. Outside of his activities in Hastings, Captain White is also cooperating with the Ruahine Aero Club, of Dannevirke, in respect to the instruction of its members. A FLYING BOAT BASE. Another aerial "project which exercised the minds of numbers of Napier's more prominent citizens was the estab- . lishment of a flying boat, or seaplane, base on the inner harbour. When the inaugural meeting of the Napier Aero Club was held a suggestion was made : that it would be a good idea for the club to operate from the inner harbour and use seaplanes, but Captain Fowler, who has had considerable experience in this particular branch of aeronautics, explained the large annual deterioration in value of the seaplane when compared to the ordinary aeroplane, due to the corrosive effect of salt water upon exposed engine parts. He also explained that the initial cost of a seaplane was considerable, and the machines were not suitable for private flying instruction. The project was therefore ruled out on account of cost, but on the occasion of the first visit of Major Isitt to Napier he inspected the inner harbour with a view to assessing its possibilities as a Government fiying boat base on the lines of that existing at Hobsonville. Major Isitt on completion of his inspection naturally could not express any opinion, but as far as is known in Napier the area is quite suitable as a seaplane or flying boat landing area although it is not now considered likely that the Government will establish a base there.