AIRPORT TESTS MORE THAN SATISFACTORY

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 48, 22 June 1965, Page 1

AIRPORT TESTS MORE THAN SATISFACTORY

Taupo's new airport more than meets the requirements laid down for the load-bearing" strengths imposed by DC3, Fokker Friendship and Bristol Freighter aircraft. It was a delighted borough W. Kiddle, who announced this yesterday afternoon. He said that the Department of Civil Aviation and Ministry of tests over the weekend and yesterday had proved_ highly satisfactory.

This is the first pumice- 1 cement runway ever built j in New Zealand and it ! was subjected to high load tests over the weekend. Mr Kiddle said that the fact that no weaknesses had shown up in the tests was a tribute to the contractors. The use of the pumice-cem-ent had been a "first," although other airfields had 'been built with the "soilcement" type of construction. This included Wanganui (sand-cement) and Napier (metal-cement). The chairman of the Taupo Airport Authority, Mr D. D. Davis, paid a tribute to the work of Mr Kiddle and the borough engineers. He said Mr Kiddle had worked froni scratch on the airport and he and his staff had done a remarkably fine job. "This is the base for a tirst-class air field," Mr Kiddle said today. "With the addition of up to 2in. of black-top (hot-mix) it ; could take very heavy aircraft." Among the aircraft the present runway could take is the NZAF's new Hercules bomber. This actually requires less load-bearing 1 strength than some other aircraft likely to use the airport. There wras almost a hitch in the preparations for testing the runway over the weekend. When the contractors swept the surface with a mechanical broom last week. long, fine steel "hairs" came out of the broom. The only known means of clearing the wire was a magnetic truck and the nearest was many miles away. Undaunted, the borough electrical and works staffs

got together and, working th rough out Saturday, built one. Under the direction of the assistant electrical engineer, Mr J. M. Sherwood, they used the coils from the original generator at Hinemaiaia and a d.c. portable welding plant to construct a very efficient magnet. According to the electrical engineer, Mr K. G. Stewart this magnet could be improved somewhat and used permanently for clearing the borough streets and the airport of nails and wire. Mr Stew-art paid tribute to Mr Sherwood's "usual resourcefulness" in carrying out the job. "He is never stuck for a solution," he said. Scenic flights will be flown off the field on Saturday when Taupo residents w ill have an opportunity of seeing the district from the air. On Sunday the first scheduled flights by Spanz will take place. The Department of Civil Aviation DC3 which landed at Taupo airport yesterday j took the Mayor, Mr J. E. j Storv, the county chairman, j Mr H. M. Besley, and a num- j ber of local body officials on a courtesy flight over Taupo, Aratiatia and Turangi wThile making its callibration tests.