AIRPORT DUST NUISANCE RECOGNISED BY COUNCIL

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 7, 28 January 1971, Page 1

AIRPORT DUST NUISANCE RECOGNISED BY COUNCIL

FINANCE THE PROBLEM

The dust nuisance at the Taupo Airport is recognised by council but financal implications are a bar to affecting an immediate solution, the Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, said yesterday.

He was commenting on the grave concern expressed by the manager of the Taupo Flying School, Mr Peter Matich, in Tuesday's issue of the Taupo Times, at the dust and uneven ground at the airport. Mr Matich said he was worried about the possibility of dust causing fuel blockages and contamination, pointing out that an engine failure because of dust almost caused an aircraft crash last year. Mr Story said the dust problem had been created largely by the early use of the grassed areas at the airport When the main runway and dispersal area had been sealed to Civil Aviation Administration standard to allow jet-prop aircraft landings the surrounding areas had been constructed and sown in grass. Unfortunately barriers erected to protect the areas had been removed before the grass became properly established, and the dust nuisance occurred through traffic over the ground. Administration The airport is administered by a joint committee of the borough and county councils. The facility is financed on a two thirds borough one third county basis, money diverted from rates, and while other finance, through rentals, dues and landings, is received, the total sum is nominal. Development was undertaken on a Government subsidy, the Government paying half of the charges of $217,346, the borough two thirds of the remaining half

and the county the other third. At its meeting on February 3 the Taupo Airport Authority is expected to study a comprehensive report on conditions at the airport. But on December 31 last the Town Clerk, Mr R. D. Sinton, discussed airport charges and costs in a letter to Mr Matich who, Mr Story said, had never made a complaint nor request to council. Letter The letter said: "From time to time you have suggested that council, as the airport authority, should do more than it does in maintaining and developing the facilities at the airport. "Recently you commented upon the amount which you are paying in connection with your operations and on looking into this I find that these payments have been: "From 1966-67 to Novem-

ber 30 of the 1970-71 financial year, a total of $905 made up of flying dues, $370.70, non-revenue flying, $445, and rental $90. 'The greatest amount which you have paid for any one month for airport dues was $32.01 for October, 1970. If we add to that the $10 payable for non-revenue flying, and $3.75 as a month 's rent, we arrive at a total for that month of $45.76, or less than $1.48 per day." Mr Sinton wrote that the position might become more clear if he mCntioned costs since the airport opened. "From that time and up until March 31, 1970, the costs incurred by council have been $58,043. Receipts from airport dues and other sources have amounted to $9320 and the deficit, of $48,723 has been met by the ratepayers of the district. "in the current financial year the deficit is expected to be $12,500, making a total deficit of $61,223 which has been apportioned between ratepayers of the borough and county as: Borough, $47,886, County, $13,337. "if one believes that the user should pay for this type of facility — many do hold this view — then it will be seen that the users would have had to pay over six times the amount they did in fact pay, in order for the airport account to break even "There are undoubtedly many who would like to see more done at the airport, just as they wish to see more spent on roading, footpaths, water supply, parks and reserves and many other amenities. It all

comes back to the old problem of finance. 'I have mentioned that the contribution made by you: firm for the use of the airport has, at its highest level, been less than $1.48 a day Landings Mr Sinton wrote that while he did not have detailed figures of the number of landings by aircraft throughout the years, his records for the months of July August and September, 1970, showed: July: Landings recorded, 268, by Taupo Flying School aircraft, 101, a flying school percentage of 37.69. August: 394, 156 — 39.59. September: 314, 121 — 38.53. "For this period the Taupo Flying School paid $75.96 in airport dues and non-revenue flying charges. The total payments for dues and charges for the period was $642. "It is interesting that while your aircraft made 38 per cent of the total recorded landings you paid less than 12 per cent of the total dues and charges," the letter said. Mr Story pointed out that the local authorities' contributions for the 1969-70 financial year totalled! $11,025 — $8820 borough, $2205 county.