As far back as 1935 the directors
of East Coast Airways had looked at the possibility of extending the service to
Auckland, but developments in this direction were seen to be dependent upon an
improvement to the existing ground facilities, and in particular the provision
of aerodromes in Tauranga and Opotiki.
The development of an aerodrome
at Opotiki began in 22nd of October 1936 with the publication in the New
Zealand Gazette of a notice of the intention to change the reservation of some 109
acres of the Opotiki and Waioeka Domain, used as a racecourse to an aerodrome.
Why the town forsook racecourse is explained in a later article in the Opotiki
News which began publication in 1938. Residents
will view with regret the fact that Opotiki has lost its; racecourse, but it
has to be remembered that Opotiki for many years was fighting a losing battle
in running the annual race and it was found impossible to carry on without risk
of the Jockey Club getting into serious financial difficulties. Even if the
Domain Board had not offered the area to the Government there appeals to be
little doubt that the racecourse site would have been taken over for the
purpose for which it is now being used, As far as the district is concerned the
aerodrome will be of very much greater importance to Opotiki than the
racecourse ever was and will help to put Opotiki on the map, as the aerodrome
is to be the Bay of Plenty terminus, and is likely to be used to a considerable
extent for defence purposes.
With the land handed over the
Public Works Department called tenders in May 1937 for the carting of shingle
for the aerodrome development. In March 1938 the contract of forming and
grading the Opotiki aerodrome was given to Messrs Butler and Carroll Limited
for £2981 15s.
By late May 1938 the work of
levelling the aerodrome was almost completed and the town was looking forward
to an air service before the end of the year. The Opotiki News reported that a
great deal of credit for the development of the aerodrome is due members of the Waioeka Domain Board, under the chairmanship of
Mr F. J. Short, for the establishment of an up-to-date aerodrome in the
district being so near completion and it is probable that a year or more would
have been lost had not Mr Short and the Mayor, Mr. G. S. Moody, another member
of the Board, gone to Wellington and placed their proposals before the
authorities and continued negotiations over a lengthy period before the scheme
was finalised. When the scheme was first placed, before the authorities it was
.to preserve the racecourse but it was considered the area would have then been
hopelessly inadequate for present-day passenger planes. The land comprising the
Opotiki aerodrome is valued at approximately £8,000, and the estimated cost of
preparing the flying field and the creation of the necessary buildings £8,560
making a total of £16,500. Opotiki is very fortunate indeed to secure such a
first-class aerodrome at practically no cost-to the district. The Opotiki
Borough and County Councils were each expected to make a contribution to the
establishment of the aerodrome in the district, but the Waioeka Domain Board,
which offered the area of 109 acres comprising the actual flying field to the
Government, also offered to find the whole of the local bodies’ contribution to
the Department, and this offer being accepted, Opotiki has secured an
exceptionally fine aerodrome at not a penny cost to district ratepayers.
The article continues by describing
the aerodrome and its construction… Four
runways are being provided and these range in length from 660 to 1060 yards, the
other two runways being 760 and 770 yards in length respectively. These runways
will enable planes to land and take off in eight different directions but the longest
runways will be necessary tor the very big planes to land on when fully loaded.
The main runway will run for the whole length of the field .in line from east
to west. This runway, at the western end of the flying field lies midway
between the Te Rere Pa and the 10-acre recreation reserve…
After the demolition of the old racecourse fencing the others fences
forming paddocks on the ground, the first major work was the draining of the
whole area. Levels were taken of the area and then eleven-and-a-half miles of drains
were cut over the whole area… Provision is being made to accommodate a large
number of machines and three huge hangars, measuring 180 ft. by 70 ft., will be
built in a semicircle near the present entrance to the aerodrome from the racecourse
road. A new access road is to be put in at an early date and when the buildings
are erected they will be fronted by a permanent-surfaced strip running along the
three hangars. Two of the hangars will be in line, while the third will he
built at an angle. The administrate building will be situated at about the spot
where the totalisator building now stands.
Wireless facilities will also be provided at as it is now compulsory
for all aerodromes being used for passenger transport to be so equipped, to
enable communication to the made with machines in the air and also with other
aerodromes.
Near the centre of the landing field a big concrete landing circle 100
feet in diameter will he laid. On the outside of the main drains fences will be
erected but on the inside of the drains toitoi bushes will be planted and when
these are grown the whole field will he well outlined with the white tops. Big
motor tyres painted white will also be prominently placed at all corners of the
area.
With most of the earthworks completed
the sowing of the grass seed and its establishment was the last major task
before the aerodrome’s completion. The Opotiki
News of the 14th of November 1938 reported that The levelling of the Opotiki aerodrome was completed
last month and the area has been since sown, m grass and with the very favourable
weather the whole area should be soon well covered with grass. When work was held
up in the autumn owing to the excessively wet conditions making it impossible
to complete the work before the winter as had been expected, most of the area
had been levelled off and these parts have had ample time to consolidate. When work was resumed some weeks ago the
whole of the area was thoroughly disced and the levelling completed. The flying
field should be available for the commencement of the passenger service between
Auckland and Gisborne, the other stopping-place being Tauranga, where the
aerodrome, has also been completed. It will also be necessary to complete one
of the hangars at Opotiki at an early date as this flying field is not
protected from strong gales and in the event of planes finding it necessary to
stop at Opotiki it would be dangerous to leave the machines out in the open.
At about 4 o’clock on the 8th of
December 1938 the Public Works Department’s Miles M11A Whitney Straight, ZK-AFH,
became the first plane to land on the Opotiki Aerodrome. The plane was piloted
by Mr A M Prichard, the staff commercial pilot for the Public Works Department
who was accompanied by D O Haskell, a PWD engineer. The Opotiki News reported
that coming down at an angle against the
strong breeze the plane pulled up in a remarkably short distance after touching
ground. The honour of being a
passenger in the first flight off the aerodrome was given to Mr. Roberts (one
of the PWD engineers), the plane flying
over Opotiki township and then in an easterly direction along the, coast. A
second engineer was also taken up for a flight. Upon landing, the wings of the plane were folded back to allow it to be
taken through a gateway into the area, behind the grandstand. Here the plane
was anchored to the ground in the shelter of trees for the night and a man was
left to guard the machine. Mr. Haskell stated to a “News” representative that
the Opotiki aerodrome compared very favourably with many of the 'dromes in the
larger centres.
The Whitney Straight returned to
Opotiki on the 12th of December with Mr Prichard with Union Airways’ Mr. A. G.
Gerrand as his passenger. He was met at the aerodrome by Mr F J Short,
chairman of the Opotiki and Waioeka Domain Board and Public Works officials.
Mr. Gerrand expressed complete satisfaction with the aerodrome.
On Saturday, the 14th of January
1939, Opotiki received its first visit of one of Union Airways’ de Havilland
DH86 Express aircraft. Several hundred people gather to witness the arrival of Express
ZK-AEG Karoro. The Opotiki News reported that Weather conditions were favourable and the
big machine was first seen as a tiny speck high above the ranges up the Otara
valley. The plane quickly came down the valley and circled the town once before
making a perfect landing on the eastern end of the aerodrome. The machine was
taxied up in front of the buildings and as it came to a stop was greeted with
clapping by the crowd. By the courtesy of Union Airways the crowd was allowed
to make a close-up inspection of the big machine which looked very graceful in
a new coat of paint. The Minister of Defence, Hon. F. Jones, and other members
of the party on the plane, were welcomed by Mr. F. J. Short, chairman of the
Domain Board, and Mr Roberts, Public Works engineer. The Minister had travelled
to Gisborne on Friday from Wellington, motoring to Palmerston North and there
taking off from Milson aerodrome in the D.H. 86 Karoro, one of Union Airways’
fleet, of airliners.
The Minister was accompanied by Lord Stabolgi, a British Labour peer
now visiting New Zealand, and a party comprising Colonel N. S. Falla, chairman
of directors of Union Airways, Limited, Air. Maurice F. Clarke, manager of
Union Airways, Dr. M. A. F. Barnett, of the Meteorological Department,
Squadron-Leader Buckridge, Air. T. A. Barrow, Air-Secretary, Mr. D. Haskell,
aerodrome engineer to the Public Works Department, and Air. F. N. Sherwood,
private secretary to the Minister. The plane was piloted by Commander A. G.
Gerrand, chief pilot of Union Airways, with Mr. R. L. McGregor as co-pilot. Mr.
Len. Maugham, chief grounds engineer of Union Airways also accompanied the
’plane. Alter a stay of over half-an-hour, the party entered the plane and the
engines were started up. The airliner taxied to the far end of the aerodrome
and turned into the wind, the engines were opened, out and the big machine left
the ground as smoothly as it had landed and slowly rose above the aerodrome and
was soon gaining height over the town before flying along the coast towards
Tauranga where the Minister of Defence was to open the Tauranga aerodrome.
De Havilland Express ZK-AEH, Korimako conducted a survey flight over
the route on the 17th and the 18th of March 1939. Included among the passengers wore Mr. L. R. Wilkinson, Mayor of
Tauranga. Mr. F. J. Short, chairman of the aviation authority at Opotiki; and
Mr. P. A. Chappell, passenger manager for Union Airways at Auckland. Commander
K. Brownjohn was also a member of the party, which included three pressmen from
Auckland, a press photographer, and Mr. N. Dumont, of the Gisborne office of
Union Airways, who joined the plane at Opotiki. Messrs. Wilkinson and Short,
were much impressed by the facility with which the journey to Gisborne was made
from their respective headquarters, and also with the agreeable conditions
which characterised this particular trip. The airliner returned to Auckland on
Saturday, landing at Opotiki a few minutes after 9 o’clock.
 |
| A scene at the Opotiki Aerodrome, on the
Auckland-Gisborne air route. Commander A. G. Gerrand, service manager' from
Union Airways, is seen chatting with Maori children: who had come to inspect
the airliner Korimako. Source : Evening Post |
.jpg) |
| A scene at the Opotiki Aerodrome, on the Auckland-Gisborne air route. Commander A. G. Gerrand, service manager' from Union Airways, is seen chatting with Maori children: who had come to inspect the airliner Korimako. Source : Evening Post |
Opotiki joined the Union Airways network on the 20th of March 1939 when de Havilland Express ZK-AEH, Korimako, under the command of Commander G R White and Second Officer Brownjohn flew into the new aerodrome as part of airline’s new Gisborne to Auckland service. Three passengers from Opotiki joined the flight while mails were also left and picked up at Opotiki. The Opotiki News reported that there was a fair gathering of residents at the aerodrome when the plane arrived. In future spectators will not be allowed on the aerodrome during the arrival and departure of the big airliner. This step is being taken to do away with any risk of injury and has been adopted at other aerodromes for the safety of the public.
The service operated three times
a week. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the flight left Auckland at 8.10am
to arrive at Tauranga 9am, departing at 9.10am
to arrive at Opotiki 9.50am, departing at 10am, and to arrive at Gisborne at
10.40am. On Tuesdays, Thursdays .and Saturdays the flight left Gisborne at
7.30am to arrive at Opotiki at 8.10am, departing at 8.20am to arrive at Tauranga
at 9am, departing at Tauranga 9.10am and arrive at Auckland at 10am. The fares
fixed by the company were Opotiki-Auckland £3 2s 6d, and from Opotiki to both Gisborne and Tauranga, 27s 6d. Opotiki, as at each aerodrome,
was provided with free ground transport to the town depot with the Opotiki booking
offices being the R.M. Garage and the Northern Steam Ship Co.’s office.
 |
| Opotiki News, 20 March 1939 |
The outbreak of World Wat II brought Opotiki's Union Airways' service to a premature end. The final flight was flown on the 12th of October 1939. The Opotiki News of the 16th of October reported on the last flight. After taking off from the Opotiki aerodrome on Thursday morning, the big plane flew well over the Otara district and then turned towards the aerodrome again, flying at a fair height, as the .machine flew over the aerodrome it suddenly dived low down and then rose steeply again, as a farewell salute. The machine then flew over the town at a low altitude. The service has now been suspended indefinitely owing to the Government taking over the company’s De Havilland planes for instructional purposes.
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