N.A.C. TO SELL HERONS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28261, 26 April 1957, Page 7

N.A.C. TO SELL HERONS

Replacement With DC3’s (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, April 25. The National Airways Corporation’s fleet of four de Havilland Herons is for sale. From August 1 when Rongotai airfield will be closed to passenger traffic to facilitate construction of the new field, all the services at present flown by Herons will be flown by DC-3’s. The services involved are the Rongotai-Nelson and RongotaiBlenheim routes. The Herons have already been withdrawn from the Rotorua and Hamilton service. The Cook Strait service will use Paraparaumu as the northern terminal, * Because these services will throw an extra burden on the DC-3 fleet, the corporation is rebuilding a former Air Force Dakota which was damaged in a The general manager of the corporation (Mr J. J. Busch) said tonight that the Heron fleet had been offered for sale on the world market. Some interest had already been shown by a Canadian firm. He said that no difficulty was expected in disposing of the aircraft, as aircraft in tip-top condition had a ready sale. The four aircraft were purchased new by the corporation in 1953 at a cost of £203,960, including spare engines and propellers. Only half that sum has been written off in depreciation. Mr Busch said there would be no problem in disposing of servicing facilities at Rongotai. Only minor repairs and maintenance were done on the Herons in Wellington, the major servicing being done at the main depot at Harewood.