Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1947 AVIATION—SANDHILLS SITE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 31, 21 May 1947, Page 4

Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1947 AVIATION—SANDHILLS SITE

TOMORROW the combined committee set up by the Borough, County and Aero Club will meet for the purpose of taking further active measures to bring an aerodrome into being which will serve this town and district. The main focal point of development appears to be the sandhill area near Piripai. The following observations have been made in connection with this proposed site by local engineers, service pilots ex R.A.F. Transport and Bomber Command, farmers with practical knowledge of local conditions, representatives of Local Bodies and Government Department officials: (a) Locality: On the sea-coast immediately N.W. of Whakatane, handy to Main Highway and at present six miles from Whakatane. This distance will reduce to approximately 2| miles when the new Main Highway crosses the Whakatane River near the Paper Mills, (b) Lack of Obstructions: No belts of trees or power lines in the vicinity. (c) Situation: Ideally situated for safe flying in all weathers and easily found from the air. (d) On existing air route Gisborne-Tauranga-Auckland. (e) At present waste land not in production, (f) Not subject to flooding, (g) Good natural drainage, (h) Away from ground mists qnd fogs, (i) Average height above sea level—l 9 feet, (j) Good grass surface could easily be established, e.g. Whakatane Golf Links on northern boundary, (k) Adequate area available for expansion in the future. (1) Area principally Crown land with small Native land area subject to leases of two year tenure. With all above data in hand there appears to be little reason to doubt that an overwhelming weight of argument has been added to Whakatane’s projected ‘drome’ and it only remains for public opinion to stand sturdily behind the scheme to bring it to full fruition.