THE EXHIBITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1937, Page 12

THE EXHIBITION

AIR COMPLICATIONS BACK FROM KINGSFORD SMITH STREET SAFETY AT RONGOTAI The decision to hold the Centennial Exhibition at Rongotai has introduced a new and serious complication to the Rongotai aerodrome problem, for the erection of buildings in the vicinity of tlic landing field will result in the reduction of the effective area of the already barely-adequate aerodrome. Conditions have been stated by the aviation authorities which may require either the location of the buildings inconveniently far back from Kingsford Smith Street or a severe restriction in building height and, consequently, design. When Rongotai was first officially suggested as the Exhibition site the proposal was that the main frontage should be to Lyall Bay. To those who have a residential acquaintance with Rongotai the disadvantage of such a lay-out is quite clear, for Rongotai is wide open to southerlies (and, for that matter, norther lies). The site question hovered and wavered for some months, with, a strong inclination to move away from Rongotai on account of its exposed position, but finally the decision moved back to that area for the compelling re.^n that no other site was considered as suitable, even granting Rongotai's disadvantages. The proposal to build the main frontage to Lyall Bay was abandoned and the general principle of a frontage to Kingsford Smith Street was adopted. Then the Civil Aviation authorities threw in a minor bombshell, in fact, two of them: the first was a proposed restriction upon building height which seemed likely to rule imposing frontages and towers right out, and the second suggested that the City Council should agree to accept responsibility if, as a result of the erection of buildings to the west of Kingsford Smith Street, any aircraft met- with accident. Those were distinctly awkward conditions. PROPOSAL TO COLLEGE BOARD. It was the first proposed restriction which led to the proposal made to the Wellington College Board of Governors at their meeting yesterday that during the period which will be required for the erection of buildings, the term of the Exhibition and the removal of buildings—perhaps a year to eighteen months—the Exhibition Company, should have the use. of the greater part of the grounds of the Rongotai College (in return for which compensation would be made) so that the higher buildings could be removed as far to the west as possible. If the proposal is agreed to it will mean that all school sports will have to be conducted on outside fields, a matter of considerable inconvenience, though not of impossible difficulty, but, even so, no great addition can be made to the Exhibititm site, and it is evident that the directors, before deciding to make such a proposal, regarded the problem of reconciling suitable building design with the requirements of the aviation authorities as difficult, in fact, extremely difficult. Rongotai is not a good aerodrome, and though a considerable improvement may be made by reclamation at the eastern end of the bay, if and when finance is available, it cannot rank as an aerodrome capable of meeting future aviation requirements, unless,' that is, overseas experts are quite wrong when they forecast that night flying will come in New Zealand as it has come in every other country where air transport is a real factor, in communications: Rongotai, these people say, cannot be made suitable for night flying, by large machines. EAST-WEST RUNWAY THE PRESENT DIFFICULTY. The main difficulty is in increasing the north-south runway, at present be- ■ tween 400 and 500 yards, but it is not this runway which will be affected by the Exhibition scheme, but the much longer and normally adequate east-west runway of over 600 yards. This east-west runway is comparatively little used, for the prevailing winds are from north and south, but when westerlies or easterlies blow, on. not more than 2 or 3 per cent, of days, or when there is a flat calm and the maximum run may be needed, an eastwest runway is necessary: that is, planes would take off from the Moa Point end of the aerodrome or from the golf course boundary and would pass over the, main front of the Exhibition buildings. In their general notes on the classification and construction of aerodromes issued some little time ago, the Director of Civil Aviation and the aerodrome engineer of the Public Works Department stated as a necessary requirement in location and surroundings that an aerodrome intended to accommodate traffic to and from a large centre should be clear of all flying

obstructions which appeared above a l-in-10 grade for at least 880- yards in any direction outwards from the edge of the landing area. The effective length of any aerodrome runway, then, is not merely the ground measurement, but is determined by obstructions surrounding or outside the aerodrome. Upon1 the basis of the l-in-10 grade, ten feet must be regarded as ineffective ground for landing purposes for each foot in height of an obstacle at the aerodrome boundary. However, it is understood that the Sliding angle stated to be. necessary for safe operation at Rongotai was considerably more gradual than 1 in 10, and that it allowed for a very long glide over the Exhibition buildings, making impossible any plan which entailed towers or lofty frontages or roof peaks unless set far back from Kingsford Smith Street, and introducing also difficulties to tramway access through Kingsford Smith Street on account of the height of overhead wiring. A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE. There is a possible alternative 'to setting back the Exhibition. frontage towards Apu and Puru Crescents, and that is to make an arrangement over the period of erection, occupancy, and demolition of the Exhibition buildings for the east-west runway to be extend- ; ed eastwards by a temporary encroachment upon the golf course, so allowing aeroplanes, on the few days when the east-west run is essential, to commence their take-off runs sufficiently far to the east to leave the ground further ■ from Kingsford Smith Street and so clear the buildings with a greater margin. A combination of the settingback of the buildings westward by 1 using the college grounds and the tern- < porary extension of the runway over ' part of the golf links may provide the j solution of the main difficulty and ; make possible an imposing Exhibition ( facade, but obviously there are diffi- i culties in the way of such a proposal, < for though little use would actually be < made of an eastern extension, a con- < siderable amount of levelling would ] be necessary, possibly; affecting twegor , three fairways. < The importance which is attached to j the maintenance of an open space to the west of Kingsford Smith Street, in the present football grounds, by the t aviation authorities was indicated by a condition imposed by the Minister of Public Works when application was t made for a subsidy towards the cost of £ levelling work at the Exhibition site. The Minister agreed that a subsidy would be made available provided that the site is declared part of the aero- 1 drome. Eventually the full area may, ; be included within the aerodrome i boundaries (though it will not over- . come the north-south runway dim- , culty), but, it was explained when the £ matter came before the City Council iat its last meeting, the grounds would remain available for sports purposes, t free of permanent buildings, that they j might serve as an emergency landing ( area in. case of engine failure. r