Learn to Fly - Taupo Flying School and Air Services - The Forerunner to Air Central and Taupo Air Services

The Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd was established by Peter Matich in late December 1966. Peter Matich took up flying in 1958, gaining his pilot's and commercial licences at Rotorua and having done his exams with the Wanganui Flying School. Before starting his flying school he had been the Rotorua Aero Club's instructor in Taupō and had taught more than 100 local and Turangi pupils to fly. The other partners in the company were Jim Bergman and Earle Cox who owned the Auckland Flying School who leased the new company its two aircraft, Cessna 150 ZK-CKS and Gardan GY80 Horizon ZK-BXM. Flying tuition was the mainstay of the company but the second aircraft, the Horizon, was  available for cross-country work. 

Taupo Times, 2 February 1967

The arrival of the locally operated flying school proved to be a boost for the Taupo Aero Club which had been in recess for three years. Interest in flying grew rapidly as did interest in the Aero Club which in May 1967 it made application to the Taupo Airport Authority for permission to construct a hanger and clubrooms on a site at the new airport. 

In these early years training was mainstay of the company's operations. Bruce Gavin's definitive book on the Taupo Flying School and Air Services' origins and on Air Central, Heartland High Flier, records a number of Auckland Flying School's aircraft were rotated through Taupo during 1967 and into 1968. These included Cessna 150s ZK-BYM, ZK-CHM, ZK-CKW and ZK-COI, Piper PA22-108 Colts ZK-BSL and ZK-BYZ Piper PA18-95 Super Cub ZK-BQY and Piper PA22-150 Tri-Pacer ZK-BLB. 

The Gardan Horizon ZK-BXM was replaced by Piper PA22-150 Caribbean ZK-BSI in April 1967. Initially leased it was later purchased by Peter Matich and Bill Bennett.

Taupo Flying School and Air Services' Piper PA22 Caribbean ZK-BSI at Greymouth. Photo : B Whebell

The company was also involved in extensive flying in the back blocks of the Kaimanawa Ranges supporting hunters and trampers. To that end a Piper PA18A-150 Super Cub ZK-CMQ was purchased in May 1967 and locally owned ZK-CXC was also leased. The Piper Cubs were also used as tow-planes for the Taupo Gliding Club.

Piper Cub ZK-CMQ wearing Taupo Flying School and Air Services titles at Taupō on 2 February 1970. Photo : D Noble

    

By mid-1968  Taupo Flying School and Air Services were operating four aircraft and the decision was made to apply for an air charter and air taxi licence enabling to company to offer scenic flights and joyrides and air taxi services from Taupo and National Park to any licensed airfield in New Zealand using Piper PA22 Carribean ZK-BSI, which at that time was still leased from the Auckland Flying School. After briefly operated Cessna 185 ZK-CGG the company acquired their own Cessna 185D Skywagon, ZK-CHS, in September 1968. The licence was granted by the Air Services Licensing Authority at a hearing at Taupō on the 20th of September 1968. As part of his evidence Peter Matich told the Authority, that though the Rotorua Aero Club had a licence, a service had not always been available. He said there was also no way of flying to Auckland and back in one day using scheduled NAC services. In reference to flying from National Park he said that his company was in the process of getting a licence for an airstrip there. He said improvements to the value of $200 were required and the company intended to do these if it obtained a provisional licence. Arrangements had been made for any air charter bookings from National Park to be made through a ski-hire firm. Mr Matich told the authority that he had already had requests, principally from NAC passengers, about air charter work. Other inquiries had come from tourists and holidaymakers who either wanted scenic flights or quick connections with scheduled flights. 

Taupo Flying School and Air Services' Cessna 185 at Taupō in September 1969. Photo : D Paull

With the new air charter and air taxi licence, on the 14th of November 1968 the Taupo Times reported that the Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd was starting a twice weekly air-taxi service from Taupō to Auckland from Monday the 18th of November. The service was to operate on Mondays and Fridays using the company's Cessna 185 ZK-CHS or the Piper PA22 Carribean ZK-BSI. The newspaper observed that with the NAC air service those who wished to spend a full day in the city travelled on the first and third days and used the second for business. The new service will have travellers in Auckland by 9 a.m. and will return at 5 p.m. The service will cater for up to eight passengers each trip, there being a reduced rate for group travel. Two pilots will use the Taupo Flying School aircraft and stops can be made at any airfield en route. Air Taxis services have no schedule to keep and times could be varied slightly. If necessary the service will be increased to more frequent flights. The sooner the need for such a flight is known, the sooner one of the larger companies will look into providing the service, said Mr P. Matich, one of the pilots.

Taupo Times, 12 November 1968

In late July 1969 the Taupo Aero Club and Taupo Flying School took delivery of an AESL Airtourer Super 150 for a 10-day trial as officials of both bodies considered to jointly purchase it as a training craft. The trial was successful and the Airtourer was added to the fleet.

Taupo Flying School and Air Services' AESL Airtouer ZK-CZP at Taupō on 1 January 1969. Photo : D Paull

The Taupo Times had not reported anything further on air taxi service to Auckland started in November 1968 until late 1970 when Taupo Flying School and Air Services seemed to have a second attempt at establishing an air taxi service to Auckland. The daily air taxi service started on the 21st of December using the six-seat Cessna 185 ZK-CHS and the four-seater Piper PA22 Caribbean ZK-BSI. "This is the forerunner of a twin-engine aircraft passenger service which we hope to establish in Taupo," said Mr Matich. Flying time in the present aircraft between Taupo and Auckland is one hour. Mr Matich said that while there was considerable interest in the Auckland service, his company was willing to provide an air taxi service to anywhere in New Zealand. "We are conscious of a public demand for swift communication and we are going to provide such a service," he said.

Taupo Times, 21 December 1970

Again, there was nothing further recorded by the Taupo Times on the air taxi service to Auckland. Company statistics to the year ended the 31st March 1969, indicate 10 flights were operated on the air charter and air taxi work carrying 18 passengers, in the 1970 financial year 106 flights carried 271 passengers and the 1971 financial year 231 flights carried 304 passengers.

Meanwhile the flying school continued to operate and Cessna 150s ZK-CXF and ZK-CXG were used in the early 1970s.

In March 1971 the Napier Aero Club was in financial difficulties and Peter Matich successfully made a proposal for Taupo Flying School and Air Services to take over the Club's flying operations. At a special meeting Aero Club decided to sell its only aircraft, a Cessna 172, and contract all future flying  conditional on him basing of two light planes and an instructor in Napier. Earlier, realising its difficulties, the club last year formed a special committee and a debenture scheme was floated. However this did not raise the amount of money needed. The club sold an old aircraft and bought a new plane hoping the debentures would pay for it. But this did not materialise as only a third of the debentures were sold. The sale of the second plane was then necessary. If the idea had come off the club would have had two good earning planes, and sufficient working capital to run for one year. Flying hours would have built up, and at the end of five years all debts would have been paid and the asset backing raised to the necessary level. However at this vital stage the club lost its chief flying instructor, Mr J. Bergman, around whom much of the scheme revolved and a suitable replacement could not be found. A choice of either selling up or paying a levy of $20 a member was put in January. They chose the latter and flying fees were also raised. But the situation deteriorated and at a recent meeting of the club it was decided it was no use carrying on. Two proposals were put to the meeting — one from the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club and the other from Mr Matich who won the contract after a secret ballot. The sale of the Cessna to Mr Matich will enable the club to pay its debts and pay back the debentures and levy money. Under the proposed contract the club would receive a small commission on commercial flying and all money from petrol saies. It would be a five-year contract and the club would continue to act as a selling agent for all flying originating from the Hawke's Bay Airport.

The Licensing Authority considered the transfer of Air Service Licence No. 593 from Napier Aero Club (Inc) to Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd in early June 1971. As part of the application an amendment was sought to Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd's Air Service Licence No. 519, namely, to delete the authorised fleet and substitute the following:- One Piper PA22, One Cessna 337, One Cessna 185 as an alternative to the Cessna 337. 

In the end the Authority gave Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd approval to operate not only the Piper Caribbean and Cessna 185 but also a Cessna 337 and Cessna 172.  Cessna 337C Super Skymaster ZK-DAQ was registered to the company on the 26th of July 1971 while Cessna 172K Skyhawk ZK-CXN was taken over by Taupo Flying School and Air Services as part of the arrangement with the Napier Aero Club.

Taupo Flying School and Air Services' repainted Cessna 185 at Taupō on 9 June 1973. Photo : D Paull
For more on ZK-CHS see : https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2015/06/three-anonymous-185-pics.html

The Cessna 337 Skymaster ZK-DAQ at Greymouth on 25 February 1974. Photo : B Whebell

The Cessna 172 ZK-CXN was later supplemented by Cessna 172 ZK-DHU and ZK-DNN, the latter replacing ZK-CXN. The aircraft were well known in the Napier-Taupō area for many years. 

In October 1973 air taxi flights were started between Napier and Gisborne using the Cessna 172s. These flights left Napier in the early morning and returned late in the afternoon. Later the Cessna 337s were also used on these services. 

This new air taxi service convinced the company that it should move towards operating more formalised air services than the air charter and air taxi licence allowed. At the company realised that the name Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd did not capture its Hawkes Bay operation and so the company started to trade as Taupo Air Services and Napier Air Services. 

January 1974 saw the addition of another Cessna 337 Skymaster with the purchase of ZK-DFT. This enabled a 337 to be based at both Napier and Taupō. Until 1974 both the 337s operated VFR only but in mid-1974 the decision was made to offer IFR services using Cessna 337 ZK-DAQ. 1975 saw the arrival of the first Cessna 402 ZK-EEI and with its arrival the company's name was changed to Air Central and the airline started to dominate. More on Air Central can be found here:

https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2013/11/air-central-north-island-commuter.html

In 1978 the single-engined aircraft operations at Taupo and Napier ended and the Taupo maintenance base was closed. The Taupō operation was purchased by Peter Matich who formed a new company, Taupo Air Services Ltd. This new company took over Cessna 172 ZK-CHU, Cessna 185 ZK-CHS and Cessna 337 ZK-DFT. More on Taupo Air Services can be found here:

https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/03/taupo-air-services.html

Cessna 337 Super Skymaster ZK-DFT at Greymouth on 22 September 1979. By this stage the 337 was with Taupo Air Services after being leased for a time to Air Central but it was still in the same colour scheme. Photo : B Whebell 

Meanwhile, the Napier Aero Club was in a better position and after a transition time it gained its own charter licence taking over the Napier single engine business. 

Having only attempted to operate air taxi services between Taupō and Auckland and between Napier and Gisborne the Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd was not a major player in New Zealand's regional air services. But it gave birth to two scheduled airlines that were to provide important regional connections in the years ahead.