NEW AIR ROUTE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 36, 26 February 1937, Page 5

NEW AIR ROUTE

i—Own Correspondent.)

Big 'Drome to be Built at Opotiki

LINK WITH NAPIER

(By Telegrapl

WHAKATANE, This Day. Negotiations in connection .with the construction of a terminal aerodrome at Opotiki, for the Auckland-Bay of Plenty aerial service, have been completed, and construction will commence immediately. The aerodrome will be an elaborate one, covering over 109 acres, and will be of great military and civil importance. The service will be commenced by a three-day time-table, and Opotiki is likely to remain the terminus for some time. The reason for this is that it will be necessary • to install radio beacons before the seTvice can be extended to Gisborne because of the ranges being often obscured by clouds. Nevertheless, there will be nothing to prevent planee from Gisborne briuging passengers to Opotiki, to connect with the service to Auckland, when weather conditions are favourable. "When the radio-beacon system is installed the service will be finally linked up with tho EasL Coast Airways service between Gisborne and Napier. Four runways sre being provided, enabling aeroplanes to take off or land in eight directions. The respective lengths of these runways are: 1060 yards, 770 yards, 760 yards, and 660 yards. Three huge hangars, the dimensions of each of which will be 180ft. wide, by 70ft. deep, are to be built on the ground.