CROMWELL AERODROME

Lake County Mail, Issue 28, 3 December 1947, Page 6

CROMWELL AERODROME

Logical Centre For Tourist Air Service “With a possible runway of 1600 yards, running with the prevailing winds north and south, the Cromwell aerodrome should be capable of landing any commercial aircraft in operation in this country.” That opinion was given by Mr R. J. Munro, president of the Cromwell Aero Club, in an interview with the “ Mail ” last week. Several noted aviators have praised Cromwell’s landing ground. “ One of the finest natural aerodromes in New Zealand,” was the comment of the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, when he landed in the " Southern Cross ” on the Cromwell ’drome in 1933. In 1947, when Colonel 0. P. Wrigley landed a twin-engined Beechcraft on the same aerodrome with the American Ambassador, Mr Avra Warren, he made the same comment. “Moreover,” he added, “I consider 1 would have no trouble iu lauding a Dakota here.” These opinions were also shared by the Australian, Elms, who landed here in “ Faith in Australia, a three-engined monoplane. Near Premier Resorts People competent to speak on the question consider Cromwell is the logical centre for a tourist air passenger service, being situated as it is about 40 miles from both Wanaka and Queenstown, two of the country’s premier tourist resorts. It appears that the Government’s objection to the aerodrome is the fact that high hills on the westerly side would make a landing difficult from that direction. Local residents, however, claim that the wind is seldom known to blow from that direction and it is hoped that the Government will reconsider its decision to the effect that if a service were inaugurated it would operate to a town further south.