NAPIER AERODROME SITE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 99, 13 May 1937, Page 7

NAPIER AERODROME SITE

Government Expert Favoiirs Beacons NO NATUKAL BARRlERS That all flying activities in Napier 10 years hence can be cateted for by Ofie aofodroine is the opiniori of the Air Ministry Adviser to the New Zealaiid GovOrMnSnt, Wing-Cominander the Hon. R. A. Cochrane, iii a report tb the Napier Airport Board ivhich has now been released. The" report fayourt the devblopment of the S.eaco'ds AerodrOine at Westshore oii ihe grounds thatitisa natural aefodrome free froiii ^ hatiiral barriers to dying, and that it WOtild eiitail iess expenditiire bii siirfaCe and sarronridings than the Napier Abrodrome. The feport considferS it prudent, however, tb retain the latter field for later requirements. , Wing-Commaiider Cbchraii6 Was ASked by the bbard if, wltbin thb nbSt 19 years, the aerodromes would be an fidvantago, and whether defence reqtiifements, commercial aif line work, aitu elub inetruction coiild be cafrifed ottt by one adrodrome. The reply "Was that he ConSidered it nnlikely that two aerbdroines will be fouiid necessary wlthin the next 10 years, and that durlng that period, all flying activities cbuld be catergd for by one field. Although the Site ficfiref thS tbwfi coiild be iriade iiitb a gobd landing field, | it wbuld always sufler ffoni the proximity of the bluff, wbicit ntasks One ap-" prbach, Regarded pnrely aei aii flero-' drome, howeVer, ^and disregarding the question of proxiinity, the Westshore site was tiitdoubtedly snperior. Althpugh it Was desirable to separate commercial flying and clttb iriStnlCtiOn, the qtiestiOn of expendittire waS ft factor, and the expijg't did not cOnsider it neceSsary to maintain twb aerodfOmCS until Commercial and instrudtionai flying had reached considerably latger dimensions than were likely Vrithin the next 10 years. ''Th© chief requireinent during the i next f 6W years will be the prbvision of stiitable aerodrome bttildingS and the beCessary aids to navigation, StiCh &S beacons, night landing signals atid aerodrome lightlng, ' ' Wing-Cbniinander Cachrane's report adds. "These will reqnire a Considerable Sntti Of nioney and this suggests that the Westshore Site, which requires lea§t expefiditure on the aefodrome (siirfaCe and Stlrroiifidings, Shouid be deVeloped flrSt. Should the AirpOrt Boafd deCide tb aCCept this recdmmeiidation, I 'COiiSider that it wotild he pftident tb reS'erye the Site near the bluff -se that it couid be dC' Veloped at a ftifttTe date shouid the ' traffic fcquirements justify it. The strip of land lying iiiiinediately betweefl the aefodrome and the bluff is, ffoifl & flying point of view, Inasked ,by the' hill and could therefofe be developed for cemmerciai or housing purposes without interfering' With the value bf the fCmainder of the Site as a potenti&l aefo-1 drome. ''In coneiuding this report, I would like to refer to the advantages df pos* sesSing a good natural aetodfotne Site which can be cheaply pfepared and which will therefore enable any money which may be available for air dgvelbp. jnent to be spmjb on aerodrome biiiidings aiid the services such aS Iighting, wifdless, etc., which forni &n eSsential part of any airport. lf tlie Airport Board decides to procded with the steady development of the Westshore site, I do not think that Napier will have cause to rogi'et any outlay which' may be lncuffed.,,