After the Midland Air Services link to the
Coromandel ended in early 1963 two parties moved to fill the void to provide a service for
the region. With his job with Midland over, John Munro set about seeking
financial backing for a replacement service. This was forthcoming from Gordon
McCallum of Manurewa and Bob Ross of Papakura who both owned property in
Mercury Bay. Munro, as trustee of the yet to be formed company provisionally
known as Whitianga Air Travel Ltd, filed an application for an Air Services
Licence. Members of the Mercury Bay Aero Club, and the local community also
believed the basing of an air service at Whitianga was essential.
By mid 1963 the Aero Club set about seeking its own
Air Transport Licence. Within the small community tension developed
between the two groups with their rival proposals. Some potential investors in
the Munro led proposal withdrew once they learned of the Aero Club's plans.
The applications were set down to be heard by the Licensing Authority in a
two day public hearing held at the Fire Brigade Hall in Whitianga on 5 and 6
November 1963.
John Munro's, still to be formed company sought a non-scheduled air service
linking Whitianga, Whangamata, and Thames with Ardmore and Whenuapai. Also
sought were air charter and air taxi rights (including scenic flights and
joyrides) from Whitianga, Whangamata and Thames to any licensed aerodrome in
New Zealand. These services were to be operated with a six seat Cessna 205. The
right to use additional aircraft at peak times was also sought.
The Aero Club sought to operate an air
charter and air taxi service (including scenic flights and joyrides) from
Whitianga to any licensed aerodrome in New Zealand with one four seat Cessna
172D. Both groups sought support for their proposals. The Munro group's support
included the Whangamata Settler's and Ratepayer's Association as its success
would give Whangamata an air link. The Mercury Bay Aero Club had won the
support of its sister organisation the Auckland Aero Club. Neither club wanted
a potential commercial rival in the vicinity.
Both groups presented their proposals on the
first day of the hearing, and negotiations between the two parties before the
second day, arrived at a compromise. The new, and as yet unnamed airline,
gained the rights for non-scheduled and air charter services, with the proviso
that it base at least one aircraft at Whitianga, and that the Mercury Bay Aero Club
be the first party approached should an additional or replacement aircraft be
required. The Aero Club won rights for scenic flights and joyriding from
Whitianga, and if it had the consent of the new airline, air charter services
from there also.
Peninsula Air Travel Ltd was chosen as the
name for the new company, and arrangements were made with Aircraft Hire (NZ)
Ltd of Masterton for the lease of Cessna 205 ZK-CFF. Air services certificate
No.93 was issued on 20 December 1963. Services began prior to Christmas and a
high frequency schedule was operated over the busy holiday period. The aircraft
was fitted with racks so that paper drops, similar those previously operated by
Midland, could be made at Coromandel, Colville, Hahei, Tairua, and Whangamata. The
aircraft could also be equipped as an air ambulance.
 |
| Peninsula Air Travel's Cessna 205 ZK-CFF at Christchurch |
Relationships between the two operators were
soon ruffled again. In March 1964, the Aero Club complained to the Licensing
Authority that Peninsula was using Cessna 172 aircraft hired from Executive Air
Travel Ltd (a subsidiary of the Auckland Flying School Ltd), to fly passengers
into Whitianga on its behalf. Peninsula in turn accused the Aero Club of
operating in quasi-commercial opposition by allowing members to hire the club's
Cessna for friends to fly to other centres, even if the hirer did not actually
fly in the aircraft.
Matters came to a head at the end of June,
when Munro withdrew the hired Cessna 205 from Whitianga because of mounting
financial losses. The long-off peak season, and aircraft lease payments which
continued whether the aircraft was used little or often, had proved too much
for the company to sustain. In its place Peninsula arranged with Executive Air
Travel Ltd to offer a replacement service with Cessna 172 aircraft, but this involved
the aircraft being based at Ardmore, not Whitianga as the licence required.
Peninsula's licence also required the company to use the Aero Club's Cessna 172
as the first alternative, if it was to operate an aircraft of this type. To
avoid additional losses to the company, the aircraft would from then on operate
only if it had a minimum of two booked passengers. So Whitianga was without a
locally based licensed aircraft for emergency use, and had seen its air service
disappear once again because the licensed commercial operator could not sustain
profitable operations. The hiatus continued for several months with the service
only being flown when at least a break-even load was available. By August 1964
both the Mercury Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Whitianga Town Board had
passed resolutions seeking a review of Peninsula's Licence.
To resolve matters a three-day sitting of the
Air Services Licensing Authority was held in Whitianga from 3 to 6 of November
1964. The Authority, after hearing the evidence, stated, "This Authority
is not generally favourably disposed to an Aero Club being in possession of a
commercial licence." However it granted the Aero Club non-scheduled rights
for services between Whitianga, Thames, Ardmore and Whenuapai, and air charter
rights from Whitianga, with one Cessna 172 aircraft and one additional aircraft
of similar capacity. The application from Peninsula Air Travel to use a Cessna
172, based at either Ardmore or Whitianga as an amendment to its licence, was
declined.
F
B Gavin, ‘The Coromandel Connection’ in Taking Off by Richard Waugh, p.103-106
