Milford Sound - 70 years on

The 17th of November 1938 was a historic day for aviation at Milford Sound when Southland Airways' Arthur Bradshaw became the first to land an aeroplane there. The Southland Times reported: Mr A. J. Bradshaw landed at the head of Milford Sound in his Puss Moth monoplane at noon today. This is the first landing to take place here. The ground chosen is a sandy beach in a deep-water basin a mile away from the hostel. Mr Bradshaw made a perfect landing in less than 100 yards. On leaving the sounds he flew north and disappeared over the Pembroke Glacier. This also is unprecedented, as aeroplanes previously visiting the sounds have flown out to the coast to gain the necessary height.

Mr Bradshaw, who returned to Invercargill yesterday, said that the beach could be used for landing in cases of emergency, but the Civil Aviation Department would never allow it to be used for ordinary purposes. He landed at Lake Ada, a few miles away, on Tuesday and went by launch, by car and on foot in search of a natural landing ground, but could not find one. A ground could be made, but the cost would probably run into thousands of pounds. Before returning to Invercargill Mr Bradshaw made a landing at Big Bay.

Shortly after Bert Mercer of Air Travel (NZ) landed De Havilland DH83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI at Milford Sound. It seems history did not record the date.

On the 22nd of August 1951 Southern Scenic Air Trips' Popeye Lucas flew an Auster into Milford Sound landing on a comparatively small, but flat, beach at Deepwater Basin, near the Milford Sound hostel. The Press reported that the aeroplane was flown to the sound to see if a landing could be made in the event of an emergency. The aeroplane landed at 8.15 a.m. and took off before the tide began to rise. Only two other landings are known to have been made in this manner in the Milford Sound area. Landings by amphibian aircraft, however, are not uncommon. It brought fresh bread, meat, newspapers, and mail. By the following year an airstrip had been developed and on the 5th of June 1952 Southern Scenic Air Services' Auster Aiglet ZK-AWS, flown by F. J. Lucas carried the first official air mail from Milford Sound to Queenstown. 

But there was always a need for something more. That came in 1956 when the Ministry of Works constructed a new, officially licensed aerodrome at Milford Sound.

On the 10th of July 1956 a proving flight was flown between Haast and Milford Sound to ascertain the suitability of an airstrip at Milford to be used for regular air services. The flight, flown by Captain Frank Molloy in NAC's De Havilland DH89 Dominie ZK-AKY carried officials of the Civil Aviation Administration. The Press of the 13th reported that, the special flight... may herald future tourist traffic to the Milford Sound area by air. The Dominie took three officers of the administration on its flight. The men spent two hours at the Milford aerodrome discussing the possibilities of its use by Dominies, which would fly from Hokitika to Milford by way of Haast. No decision was announced after the inspection but an early announcement is expected. The agent of “The Press” at Hokitika (Mr M. Saunders) gave the pilot of the Dominie (Captain F. Molloy) two copies of “The Press.” The manager of the Milford Hotel who received the papers said it was the first time a city newspaper had been delivered at the hotel on the day of its issue.

NAC De Havilland Dominie ZK-AKY at newly constructed Milford Sound aerodrome. Was this the first flight on the 10th of July 1956??? Photographer unknown

The Evening Post of the 13th of July 1956 reported further on the possible Milford Sound service. Following a successful charter flight, the National Airways Corporation, under a charter from the Tourist and Publicity Department, intends to operate a service from Hokitika and Haast. An NAC Dominie will fly once a week from Haast - in less than an hour - and if the venture is successful another Dominie will be based at Hokitika for additional flights. The flights will operate till further notice. 

It is the 10th of July 1956 flight that licenced the Milford Sound aerodrome that marks the start of commercial services to Milford Sound. 

The first on demand charter service was operated on the 25th of July 1956 from Hokitika to Haast and Milford Sound and return was flown by Captain Frank Molloy in Dominie ZK-AKY. The charter service never appeared in the NAC timetables but it was advertised in national newspapers.

NAC's De Havilland Dominie ZK-AKY at Milford Sound on the first charter flight on 25 July 1956. Photograph : Max Dowell

Evening Post, 11 August 1956

The Press, 23 August 1956

Earlier in 1956 Southern Scenic were preparing to commence Dominie services having purchased the Auckland Aero Club's Dominie ZK-BAU and later in the year two ex-NAC Dominies.

70 years since the licensing of Milford Sound aerodrome on a gathering of past and current pilots and people involved in the Milford Sound flightseeing operation gathered in Air Milford's hangar on the evening on the 9th of July to mark the event. Among those who gathered were two pilots who had flown Dominies into Milford Sound for Ritchie Air Services, Gary Cruickshank and Russell Gutschlag. The event hosted, by Air Milford's Hank and Kerrie Sproull, was an a great opportunity for reminiscing and stories including from Hank Sproull himself, Mike Skudder, a long time Flight Service Officer at Milford Sound, the Queenstown Airport Corporation's CEO Shane O'Hare, and a historical presentation by aviation historian, Rev Dr Richard Waugh. Shane O'Hare made the point 10,000 people will have flown through Queenstown airport that day with 34 jet flights from Australia. Shane also made the point that is wonderful that all the operators flying into Milford Sound were present to celebrate this milestone in history.

Sadly, attempts to bring back De Havilland DH89B Dominie ZK-AKY to fly between Queenstown and Milford Sound were thwarted due to an engine issue. It was, however, a delight to see Colin and Maeva Smith from Croydon Aviation Company at the evening gathering.

ZK-AKY, the Dominie which made the proving flight to  was to see service with three of the Milford Sound pioneer flyers, Ritchie Air Services, which like Southern Scenic Air Services was merged into Tourist Air Travel, which in turn was taken over by Mount Cook Airlines.

Newly arrived from NAC, Dominie ZK-AKY in NAC colours with Ritchie Air Services titles on a publicity shoot. Photographer unknown.

Inherited from Ritchie Air Services, de Havilland DH89B Dominie ZK-AKY at Queenstown

In Mount Cook Airlines colours but without titles, de Havilland DH89B Dominie ZK-AKY at Queenstown in the early 1970s. Photographer unknown

On the actual 70th anniversary of the proving flight, Air Milford in conjunction with the Queenstown Airport Corporation operated a commemorative flight into Milford Sound. Flown by Air Milford's chief pilot Antony Sproull in Air Milford's first Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-SKB passengers included Captain Keith Molloy, son of Captain Frank Molloy who had flown the proving flight 70 years before. Also on board was David Graham an air accident investigator, a fitting nod to the Civil Aviation officials who were on the proving flight.

 

Air Milford's Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-SKB at Queenstown on 10 July 2026

Antony Sproull and Keith Molloy at Milford Sound. The son of the Frank Molloy who made the proving flight Keith said, "It was an amazing celebration of Milford and I was very humbled and genuinely very excited with the whole event."

Keith was carrying the 1943 map his father used 70 years before

From left, self, Allan Pattrick (ex Mount Cook Airlines), Antony Sproull, Keith Molloy, David Graham, and Richard Waugh

Milford Sound's ramp... a little busier than on the day 70 years before

"Happy Birthday Milford Sound Airport - 70 years of commercial services."

Air Milford's Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-SKB at Milford Sound on 10 July 2026. 70 years on the Cessna Caravan is certainly the Dominie replacement in the 2020s with up to 15 sitting on the Milford ramp at any one time!

Flightseeing’s turbulent times

 

Reflecting the world-class scenery they fly in, Milford flightseeing companies have constantly upped their game despite challenges they face from both a fickle environment and seemingly more fickle bureaucrats.

With a function in Queenstown this week celebrating 70 years of Milford flightseeing, it’s amazing to think a proposal to ban it was presented just five years ago.

During the depths of Covid-19 in July, 2021, the Milford Opportunities Project (MOP), commissioned by the last government, launched radical plans to scrap the airfield and ban cruise ship visits.

Those threats were only removed by the current government 13 months ago.

MOP maintained the airstrip was in a poor state, but operators and the wider tourist industry argued flightseeing was not only a visitor drawcard but reduced Milford Rd traffic congestion and was vital if the road was cut off.

The threat was also untimely as operators had spent millions on larger planes — meaning fewer flights — which were also much quieter than their predecessors.

Queenstown-based Milford Sound Scenic Flights owner Mark Quickfall, who also has a chopper fleet, says when the Department of Conservation issued concessions to land in what is a national park, operators committed to upgrading their aircraft.

They also volunteered flight paths "to mitigate the impact on other park users".

Quickfall, who also chairs Destination Milford Sound which was formed to engage with the MOP project as one voice, says it took six years for those concessions to be issued.

Ironically, they also expired six years ago and have only now been reissued.

Veteran local aviator Jules Tapper, who once ran the former Mount Cook Group’s Queenstown flightseeing division, says "the fleet that’s currently flying is probably amongst the most modern in the world".

He says Twin Otters in former times "led the race to get a quieter aeroplane".

Local Air Milford owner Hank Sproull first introduced the revolutionary Cessna Caravan turboprop aircraft in 2005 after securing a $1.25 million loan from UDC.

It carried 12 passengers, double other planes’ capacity, was "very quiet and very safe", and offered good viewing.

"They present a product to tourists that is really, really appealing."

Glenorchy Air chief executive and Queenstown-Milford Users Group chair James Stokes agrees with Tapper "we’ve got a really capable, really impressive fleet among the operators, and I always make the point Glenorchy Air has the most modern out of everybody".

He says closing Milford’s airfield would have made his business unviable.

"I think there was an element of it being so ridiculous and so badly done you either kind of forged on hoping for the best or stopped.

"We chose to kind of keep our recovery plan going, knowing we had valuable assets if it all went wrong."

Like his counterparts, he argues Milford’s airstrip facilities need upgrading.

"[Owner] Ministry of Transport does have a programme to improve things, and having some toilets and potentially a little pilots’ room is part of that.

"Our landing fees have just been put up to pay for some of that upgrading — they’re quite a lot, so we hope we get a return on that."

Stokes notes Queenstown-based light planes are often subject to delays on a busy airfield, partly due to very restrictive airspace rules.

"You can literally have a mountain between you and another operator but because you’re not separated by enough distance, it’s still not legal [to fly]."

He accepts plans for taxiway alongside the main runway will be some help, along with relocating choppers to the north of that runway and light planes to the south.

However, he says, "there’s only so much space in the cookie jar".

Despite modern aircraft allowing more flying days, Milford’s notorious weather still makes flightseeing one of Queenstown’s most weather-dependent tourist attractions.

Due to wetter and windier than normal weather last spring and early summer, Stokes says in the 12 months until early April "we were sitting around a 48% success rate".

Source: Otago Daily Times

Hokitika Airport upgrades

It has been a quiet month for news so far. This was published in the Otago Daily Times over the weekend:

Automated carparking and an enclosure for rare native skinks are among the upgrades in the wings for Hokitika Airport.

Destination Westland Ltd chairman Greg Bishop and chief executive Melanie Anderson last week updated the Westland District Council’s council-controlled organisation oversight committee on the company’s future plans.

Mr Bishop said a rebranding of the company was on the horizon and potentially a new name, to better reflect its aviation role.

Destination Westland has both the Hokitika Airport and the busy Franz Josef Heliport in its portfolio.

The committee was told a priority for the coming year was improving regular passenger transport in and out of the airport.

These included planned upgrades to runway lighting to improve pilots’ ability to land in poorer visibility conditions and improving the customer experience at the airport, starting with reopening the cafe within the terminal building.

Increases to landing fees from Air New Zealand were also forecast.

However, discussions were, at present, on hold.

Mayor Helen Lash said from her own discussions with the airline, those talks and any increases, were some way off and to try now would be ‘‘risky’’.

Mr Bishop confirmed nothing was proposed in the short term.

However, it was important to show there was an expectation from the company.

Unlike other regional airports, Hokitika had maintained all scheduled flights amid Air New Zealand cuts. 

Source: Otago Daily Times

To Timaru with NAC (or Mount Cook)

 

At the opening of Timaru’s new aerodrome at Levels on the 12th of September 1953, the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation, Mr T. L. Macdonald, said “the airport would provide a fresh avenue for civil aviation.” Two days later South Island Airways included Timaru in its Oamaru-Ashburton-Christchurch de Havilland DH89 Dominie service. The South Island Airways’ service did not last and the last flights were flown on the 10th of February 1956. South Island Airways' service was replaced soon after by a new company, Trans-Island Airways, which operated an Oamaru-Timaru-Christchurch service using the same Dominies.

Meanwhile Timaru leaders had aspirations for an NAC service. Doug Drake, in his book Wings over South Canterbury writes, The airport committee made strong representations, and midway through the year a high-powered deputation, comprising the Mayor of Timaru, Mr R E White, the president of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr J S Satterthwaite, and the chairman of the airport committee, Mr. Hervey, travelled to Wellington to meet the principals of the corporation. Ironically, the deputation had to drive to Christchurch to catch a plane from there to Wellington. While airborne, Mayor White quite accidentally gathered some ammunition for the discussions to take place within the next hour or two. To fill in his time on the plane, he read one of the corporation’s flight information circulars. On one side, the leaflet told him the corporation flew to 23 destinations in New Zealand. “But,” said Mayor White later, “not only was Timaru missing from the list but sixteen of the towns and cities served by the corporation were smaller than Timaru.” In due course, it became evident that the corporation could not continue to ignore the people of South Canterbury. In fact, it was revealed months later that soon after the deputation stated its case in Wellington the corporation's board had resolved to accede to the demand for inclusion in the network as soon as the Levels runway had been extended - if no other operator was catering for the requirements of the district.

To that end work was made to extend the grass runway at Levels and this work was completed in early 1957. Timaru received its first Douglas DC-3 visit on the 22nd of February 1957 when the National Airways Corporation's ZK-AOD, “Papango”, the DC-3 flagship of NAC's fleet, became the first airliner to use the then newly-reconstructed grass runway. It touched down at 7am only two days after the airport had been registered for DC-3 aircraft, and lifted off half an hour later with the Timaru Municipal Band on a direct flight to Napier. It was a significant occasion in the short history of the airport, and there to welcome the airliner, and farewell the band, was the Mayor, Mr R. E. White, and a large number of well-wishers. That morning's flight was one that very nearly did not take place. The airliner, commanded by Captain R. J. Walton, encountered low cloud and rain on the approach to Timaru. The flight in was almost abandoned, but at the last minute there was a clearance off the coast, and the DC-3 was able to land comfortably.

The first DC-3 to Timaru - NAC's Douglas DC-3, ZK-AOD, at Timaru on 22 February 1957. Photo : South Canterbury Museum

Meanwhile, the Christchurch Press of the 1st of March 1957 reported that Mr J J Busch, the National Airways Corporation’s general manager, told a meeting in Timaru yesterday that the corporation would apply for a scheduled service licence to Levels airport at this month’s sitting of the Air Services Licensing Authority in Wellington. If a licence was granted, said the Christchurch manager of N.A.C. (Mr J. E. Davis), yesterday, the initial service would be from Christchurch to Timaru and return, leaving Harewood at 12.10 p.m. and touching-down on return at 1.45 p.m. The second stage would be the extension of the service through Timaru to Dunedin and return. When overnight hangar accommodation was completed at Invercargill, said Mr Davis, the first flight north each morning would be by way of Dunedin, Timaru and Christchurch, then on to Kaikohe, Northland.

Details were spelt out more clearly in Air Services Licencing Authority advertising a few days later…  An application by the New Zealand National Airways Corporation, P.O. Box 96, Wellington, for an amendment to the terms and conditions of Air Service Licence No, 21 to permit the establishment of a scheduled services to and from Timaru with DC3 aircraft. It is intended to link Timaru with the Corporations South Island Trunk Services in three successive stages of time-table amendment;

(i) Period 24/4/57-25/5/57: as the terminal of one daily Christchurch-Timaru and one daily Timaru-Christchurch scheduled service;

(ii) Period 26/5/57-22/8/57: as an intermediate airport of call on one existing Christchurch-Dunedin and one existing daily Dunedin-Christchurch scheduled service;

(iii) After 22/8/57: as an intermediate airport of call on one existing daily Christchurch-Dunedin-Invercargill and one existing daily Invercargill-Dunedin-Christchurch scheduled service.

Despite the opposition of Trans-Island Airways on the 3rd of April 1957 it was announced that the Air Services Licensing Authority had granted the New Zealand National Airways Corporation an amendment to a licence permitting the corporation to operate a daily scheduled service to and from the Timaru airport at Levels starting on April 24. The Authority said it had been clearly established that Timaru should be empowered to have an N.A.C. service.

Ahead of the commencement of the NAC service the official opening of the terminal building and extensions at the Levels airport was held on the 13th of April. On the 15th the Timaru Herald reported, Just 25 years and two days after the official opening of the first airport at Saltwater Creek, Timaru has been placed on the national airways service network. Quite ironically Timaru, pioneering district of civil aviation in the South Island and one of New Zealand's most air-minded areas, is one of the last cities in the country to join the network. History from the days when planes landed on an all too inadequate field at Saltwater Creek through to the establishment of Levels aerodrome, and of the endeavours of men like the Wigley family, Mr H. M. McKay, Mr S. G. McClelland and Mr C. R. Hervey, was told at Levels on Saturday at the official opening of the terminal building and extensions.  More than 5000 attended. 

On Saturday there was no greater acknowledgment of the work done to reach this attainment than in the message read by Sir Arthur Nevill, K.B.E., Director of Civil Aviation, who performed the official opening, from the Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation, Mr T. P. Shand. Said Mr Shand: "I wish to offer my congratulations to the people of South Canterbury upon the energy and airmindedness that have resulted in the development of this airport to a stage which permits a scheduled service to be inaugurated with National Airways Corporation aircraft. "This represents Stage II in your programme, which envisages eventually, facilities for passenger services in all weathers, by night as well as by day. The Government has provided nearly £20,000 for land purchase and the development of this site, apart from the airways facilities provided wholly by the Government. These expenditures, supported by your own contributions, have a specific purpose: to provide South Canterbury with the modern aviation facilities a thriving district should have. It is now up to you to use them, and I trust they will aid you to the fullest extent in business and pleasure and in augmenting your prosperity and happiness." 

Sir Arthur himself drew an interesting comparison of Levels field compared with earlier days of aviation. "The last time I visited Timaru was about 1931. When I was a young pilot I landed in the mud at Saltwater Creek, and departed the next day when the mud had dried up. I left with a certain amount of relief to be in the air!" 

With 13 types of aircraft, ranging from gliders, Tiger Moths, and Austers, to R.N.Z.A.F. Harvards and two N.A.C. DC3s and a helicopter, the public were treated to a spectacular display during the air pageant. Main features were parachute jumping, aerobatics by Harvard planes, a display of manoeuvrability and a spraying demonstration by a helicopter, glider and tiger moth aerobatics. It was one of the most comprehensive aerial displays ever seen in South Canterbury. History was made when a N.A.C. DC3 freighter arrived at the airport with a cargo of refrigerators for a local firm, this being the first freight to be landed by a DC3 at the airport.

Two NAC Douglas DC-3s at the terminal opening at Timaru on 13 April 1957. ZK-APK is to the left. The aircraft on the right is unidentified. A third DC-3 freighter arrived later

NAC began services to Timaru on the 24th of April 1957 with Douglas DC-3 ZK-AZA, Parera, being used to operate the first flights under the command of Captain R J Walton and First Officer W F Jarvis. Reporting on the new service the Press recorded, Aircraft will leave Harewood at 12.10 p.m. each day except Sunday and arrive in Timaru after a flight of 40 minutes. The fare is £2. The aircraft will leave Timaru on its return flight at 1.05 p.m. On May 27 Timaru will be linked with South Island main trunk airline operations. An aircraft will leave Dunedin at 9.10 a.m. on week-days and Saturdays, calling at Timaru at 9.25 a.m. and reaching Harewood at 10.10 a.m. It will return south at 2.20 p.m. arriving at Timaru at 3.05 p.m. and continuing on to Dunedin. The extended schedule will continue until August 22 when Invercargill will be brought into the route which incudes Timaru. Airliners will fly south from Christchurch and stay overnight at Invercargill before returning the next day. The Christchurch branch manager of the corporation (Mr J. E. Davies) said yesterday that DC-3 freighter planes would operate through Timaru as business offered. The basic freight rate between Christchurch and Timaru has been fixed at 3d per lb, with a 25 per cent, reduction on the rate for goods consigned “freight cargo.” The first day of NAC’s operations to Timaru was not particularly successful. Three passengers travelled south from Christchurch and one person paid his £2 to fly north on the return flight. The Press noted that the corporation expects greater patronage when Timaru next month will become part of the South Island trunk system.

From the 27th of May 1957 Timaru was also connected to Dunedin. The morning flight left Dunedin at 8.10am to arrive at Timaru at 9.00am. The flight then left for Christchurch at 9.25 a.m. to arrive there at 10.10am, Wellington at 12.05pm and Auckland at 2.30pm.  The southbound service arrived in Timaru from Wellington and Christchurch at 3.05pm and departed for Dunedin at 3.20pm to arrive there at 4.20pm.

An early photo of Douglas DC-3 ZK-AOJ and the ground transport at Timaru. Photo : D A Walker 

With NAC’s arrival and competition it was inevitable that Trans-Island Airways’ service to Timaru end and this happened on the 22nd of June 1957.

A schedule change was made from the 24th of June 1957. The new schedule saw the DC-3 leave Dunedin at 9.30am to land at Timaru at 10.30am. It then departed for Christchurch at 10.45am to arrive there at 11.30am, departing again at 11.50am to arrive at Wellington at 1.25pm. Timaru interests made a formal protest about the later schedule. The afternoon service maintained the same schedule.

Timaru and Invercargill were connected from the 23rd of August 1957. With the completion of a new hangar for the DC-3 at Invercargill an aircraft overnighted there. It departed Invercargill at 7.00am, Dunedin at  8.25am and Timaru at 9.40am on its way to Christchurch. The southbound flight left Christchurch at 2.10pm and Timaru at 3.30pm on its way south to Dunedin where Invercargill bound passengers transhipped to another flight.

To cater for the summer holiday traffic, from the 19th of December 1958 to the 1st of February 1959 NAC operated an extra DC-3 flight from Christchurch to Timaru and return. Additional summer holiday flights were also a feature in the following years.

An NAC DC-3 boarding at Timaru in August 1960. Photo : Whites Aviation

From the 14th of November 1960 NAC’s flights south of Timaru to and from Dunedin and Invercargill ended with the introduction of a direct Dunedin-Christchurch service. Nonetheless, Timaru was still to receive two DC-3 flights each day. In the morning a DC-3 flew an early flight from Christchurch to Timaru. This flight departed Christchurch before the arrival of the first Wellington or Auckland flights. Meanwhile, the DC-3 then left Timaru for Christchurch to connect with Viscount services north. A similar pattern was repeated in the late afternoon. In late 1960/early 1961 Timaru gained a Sunday service with a DC-3 flying from Christchurch to Timaru and back which left Christchurch at 12.15pm and returned at 2.00pm. 

On the 15th of March 1961 South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand arrived in Timaru providing competition for NAC. Also operation Douglas DC-3s SPANZ offered connections to Invercargill and Alexandra in the south and to Nelson, Wellington and numerous other North Island destinations.

NAC's Sunday return flight between Christchurch and Timaru didn't prove popular and it was on the 26th of February 1962. In the year ended the 31st of March 1962 NAC flew 9,392 passengers in or out of Timaru. Further schedule changes were to come at the end of the year. From the 20th of December the, what was effectively, morning positioning flight from Christchurch to Timaru was cut. Instead the DC-3 overnighted at Timaru. From Monday to Saturday it departed Timaru at 7.55am to arrive in Christchurch at 8.40am. From Monday to Friday it departed Christchurch at 5.05pm to arrive into Timaru at 5.50pm with a Sunday evening flight operating a little later. This pattern of a morning flight north and a late afternoon flight south was to be a feature of NAC's Timaru timetable.

The Timaru service like many other regional routes across the country struggled financially. NAC’s report to Parliament to the end of the 31st of March 1963 gave a number of reasons for this, including the continued operation of DC3’s on secondary routes and competition from South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand. The report announced that the Christchurch-Timaru route lost £25.000 during the financial year. At this time NAC was advocating for the speedy upgrading of smaller airports such as Timaru to Friendship standards. At the same time it was also exploring other options. In August 1963 NAC chairman Sir Andrew McKee told the Press, "We want a cheap plane, a 20-seater, for 100-mile stage lengths - like Christchurch to Timaru, Although there is a demand for this type of aircraft there are none in production. The DC3 has done an admirable job but she wasn't really designed for that sort of work."

With competition from SPANZ, in 1963 NAC upgraded its DC-3s with renewed cabins, some sound proofing, enlarged windows, the airliners becoming known as "Skyliners."

Some classic photos of NAC DC-3 operations at Timaru... Douglas DC-3 ZK-AQU at Timaru. Photo : Shannon Stevenson, Timaru History and Memories Facebook page

Douglas DC-3 ZK-BEU at Timaru in March 1963. Photo : Jeremy Sutherland, Timaru History and Memories Facebook

Converted to Skyliner status, Douglas DC-3 ZK-AYZ at Timaru in 1963. Photo : Mid and South Canterbury Photo News

  

In September 1964 there were persistent rumours that NAC was planning to withdraw its Christchurch-Timaru service. Despite this being denied  by the Minister of Civil Aviation, changes were afoot. On the 31st of October Douglas DC-3 ZK-BQK, Skyliner “New Plymouth” operated the final NAC services to and from Timaru for some years.

The following day, the 1st of November 1964, the service was taken over by Mount Cook Airlines with Douglas DC-3 ZK-AOD operating the service under charter to NAC. “until such time as the traffic offering from Timaru warrants the use of a Friendship, or until such time as Mount Cook can fully utilise their DC-3s on their network.” NAC emphasised that even though Mount Cook Airlines operated service it was still an NAC flight, the only difference being the use of Mount Cook aircraft under a charter agreement. The pattern of a morning Timaru-Christchurch service north and a late afternoon service south continued with the frequency moving from being operated six days a week to daily.

Mount Cook Airlines DC-3 ZK-AOD at Timaru. Photo D A Walker

An interesting little piece in the Christchurch Press of the 11th of January 1965 gave an overview of NAC’s Timaru service and an indication of the impact of South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand services through Timaru… Freight returns on NAC flights through Timaru beat all records last year. The aggregate for 1964 was 429,973lb, compared with 362,106lb. This was an increase of 67,867lb in the year, and of 52,804lb on the previous best annual figure. The corporation carried 8429 passengers (7546 in 1963), and SPANZ carried 2724 (2047), to give an aggregate of 11,153, which was 1560 more than the 1963 figure.

Mount Cook Airline's first Douglas DC-3 at Timaru on an NAC Service. Photos : D A Walker

A different era of bus, plane and cars!

SPANZ always struggled and it was not surprising that the airline ceased operating on the 28th of February 1966. Following this NAC took over SPANZ's air services to Taupō, Masterton and Oamaru from the 1st of March 1966. NAC extended its existing Christchurch-Timaru service south to incorporate Oamaru with the Mount Cook Airlines’ DC-3 overnighting at Oamaru instead of Timaru.

From the 19th of December 1966 Timaru received a second flight from and to Christchurch. This flight departed Christchurch after the arrival of the morning flight from Wellington and then returned from Timaru to Christchurch. The additional flight did not garner enough support and it no longer appeared in the timetable effective the 23rd of May 1967.

Douglas DC-3 ZK-BKD at Timaru again, with new titles 

On the 24th of October 1968 the Department of Civil Aviation gave  a restricted clearance for Mount Cook Airline’s Hawker-Siddeley 748 to use Timaru airport. The Press reported According to the regional superintendent of the department in Christchurch (Mr L. E. Duke), the aircraft will be allowed to use Timaru airport only in dry weather. Some work still has to be done on the end pads at the airport, and bearing tests for the 748 have to be done in wet conditions. If it is wet this week-end the airline will have to use its Dakotas at both Timaru and Oamaru. As it is, the 748 will be flying south and using these airports only on Mondays and Fridays, and returning on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

With the weather gods smiling and suitable airport conditions Mount Cook's Hawker Siddeley 748, ZK-CWJ, flew into Timaru the following day, the 25th of October 1968, under the command of Captain Geoff Williams and First Officer John Evans. Flight times for the 748 were significantly faster than the DC-3, with the inaugural flight from Christchurch to Timaru taking only 23 minutes compared with 32 minutes in the DC-3. The 748 gave a substantial boost to the service, with patronage rising steeply in the following months. In the first month when the 748 was operating on a restricted basis the number of passengers climbed by 30 per cent; patronage rose by more than 40 per cent in December, when the number of HS748 flights was increased, and there was a further jump when the airliner was put on the service six days a week in January 1969.

Hawker Siddeley 748 ZK-CWJ at Timaru. Photo : D A Walker

While the number of passengers were increasing so also were the losses with the Christchurch-Timaru-Oamaru service losing $72,763.

In December 1971 work began on the sealing of Timaru’s runway necessitating the Hawker Siddeley 748 being withdrawn in favour of the Douglas DC-3 due to the restrictions placed on the airport by the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport.

On the 19th of April 1972, while the runway work was continuing, N.A.C.’s general manager Mr D A Patterson, was reported in the Timaru Herald reflecting on options for Timaru's air service going forward. One proposal was for a return Friendship link between Wellington and Timaru in the early afternoons, in addition to the present daily Oamaru-Timaru-Christchurch flights. This would result if NAC dispensed with the charter agreement with Mt Cook Airlines, Mr Patterson said after an in committee meeting with the Timaru Airport Authority yesterday afternoon. He said talks on the NAC proposal and an alternative improved service involving Mt Cook Airlines would be held with Mt Cook this morning. Mr Patterson said he was sure the Mount Cook company had many other uses for its aircraft, "beside which, we can operate DC3s cheaper than we can charter one." NAC felt it could replace the Mt Cook services with its own DC3 and run the present Oamaru-Timaru-Christchurch service more economically. "It's simply a matter of economics and convenience," he said.

If an improved air service was to be run by Mount Cook Airlines, NAC proposed to use the company's Hawker Siddeley 748 on the Oamaru-Timaru-Christchurch run five days a week, and a DC3 on two days. Mount Cook Airlines would then run a noon service, Christchurch- Timaru-Christchurch, which would connect with a Wellington flight from Christchurch. Mount Cook would want its Hawker Siddeley for tourist work for about two and a half months each year, Mr Patterson said. The company would therefore use a DC3 for just over four and a half months, and the Hawker Siddeley for about two and a half months. Mr Patterson said that over the last four years, passenger figures from Timaru were up to 50 per cent, from 4300 in 1966 to 6000 last year, and freight was up 15 per cent, against the national average of 12½ per cent.

On the 1st of May 1972 N.A.C. announced that it would resume the operation of the Christchurch-Timaru-Oamaru air service in its own right when its winter timetable took effect on the 7th of June. The airline’s board chair, Alan Gilkinson, explained that the charter agreement between NAC and Mount Cook Airlines, over this route would be terminated when the new timetable was introduced. “In addition to the Christchurch-Timaru-Oamaru daily return service, NAC will provide South Canterbury with a further air facility by operating a return Wellington-Timaru F27 Friendship service three times a week,” Mr Gilkinson said. The aircraft is available only three times a week at present but as aircraft capacity becomes available, and provided the service is sufficiently well patronised, the frequency will be increased.

In preparation for the resumption of NAC’s Douglas DC-3 service leased DC-3 ZK-AOF returned to New Zealand after a three year sojourn with Fiji Airways where it had operated as VQ-FBJ. It was placed back on the New Zealand register on the 28th of April 1972. It was given a major overhaul before entering back into service and it was given a new name, “Skyliner Waitaki." NAC’s general manager, Doug Patterson, said the use of the DC3 was expected to save N.A.C. about $20,000 a year.

Meanwhile, with the sealing of Timaru's airport completed Mount Cook Airlines 748s began again operating to Timaru and Oamaru on the afternoon of the 3rd of June. It was to be a brief return for on the morning of the 7th of June 1972 a Mount Cook Airlines Hawker Siddeley 748 flew the airline’s final flight from Oamaru to Timaru and on to Christchurch.

 

 

On the 7th of June 1972 with the official commissioning of the newly-sealed runway at Timaru airport, NAC introduced a thrice weekly Fokker Friendship service between Timaru and Wellington. The following day the Timaru Herald reported on the first Friendship flight. Only 1 hour and 4 minutes, separated Timaru and Wellington yesterday afternoon when the National Airways Corporation inaugurated its service between the two cities. The new Fokker Friendship link has a schedule of 85 minutes, but yesterday's flight had the advantage of a strong southerly wind at 19,000ft, and the turbo-prop airliner cut the time by 20 minutes. A large crowd was present at the Timaru airport to see the arrival - slightly late because of the wind - of the Friendship ZK-BXA “Kuaka” on the first flight of the new service. The aircraft circled the city before landing on the airport new sealed runway. The Mayor and chairman of the Timaru Airport Authority,  Cr C R Hervey, who was accompanied by the general manager of NAC, Mr D A Patterson, was on hand to see the 13 southbound passengers disembark and receive from the Friendship’s pilot Captain G Graham, a letter of greetings from the Mayor of Wellington, Sir Francis Kitts. The Friendship took off from Timaru at 3.48pm and after a direct flight over the South Island landed at Wellington airport at 4.52. On board were 18 passengers, among them a number of guests of the corporation, including the mayor of Geraldine, Mr W S Aitken, the chairman of the Levels County Council, Mr M F Blakemore, Cr J Woodhead (Geraldine County Council), Mr N M H Gray, president of the South Canterbury Public Relations Association, the Public Relations Officer Mr D Hall, the presidents of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr J A Hogg and South Canterbury Retailers Association, Mr B D Jackson, and the secretary of the South Canterbury Manufacturers Association, Mr I D James.

Timaru Herald, 30 June 1972

The first Fokker Friendship flight to Timaru on 7 June 1972... from left Doug Pattison, NAC's general manager, Captain G Graham with the letter from the Wellington mayor, First Officer R A Arvidson and Timaru Mayor Russell Hervey. All photos : Anderson and Bremford via the South Canterbury Museum

Fokker Friendship ZK-BXA being loaded and departing Timaru on the first flight back to Wellington on 7 June 1972.

At a brief function in Wellington, Mr. Blakemore handed to Sir Francis a letter of greetings from Mr Hervey, which read: “May I take this opportunity to extend to you greetings from the citizens of Timaru and South Canterbury. Today's inaugural flight from Timaru to Wellington marks the culmination of many years of effort by this district to obtain an improvement to its airport facilities and an air service in keeping with the growth and expansion taking place in our district. This new, non-stop service linking South Canterbury with the nation’s capital is indeed welcomed by both business and private sectors of The community, and, I am sure will facilitate a closer relationship for all concerned. In reply, Sir Francis told Mr. Blakemore and the other guests that as an “old boy” of South Canterbury he was delighted to see the direct link introduced and he believed it would benefit both cities.

Earlier, at a dinner in Timaru to mark the introduction of the service, Mr Hervey told a gathering of representatives of the district's local bodies, travel industry, and other sectors of the community that the decision of the corporation to open a Wellington-Timaru service was welcomed, and his main hope was that the decision would be proved to be soundly based by the support it received. While the corporation had certain responsibilities in the field of civil aviation it was, nevertheless, accountable for the viability and therefore the profitability of its operation. Discussing the recent completion of the sealed runway, the Mayor paid tribute to the minister of Civil Aviation, Mr J B Gordon, for his willingness to recognise the right of the district to enjoy the advantages of a sealed runway. Our thanks are due to him today as a decisive Minister, in that he recognised the claims of the district, and he caused the responsibilities of government to be implemented and fulfilled. Mr. Hervey said the runway, the official opening of which would be marked when the terminal building extensions were completed, will provide many advantages for the district. “We will have no further surface problems, it will provide an all-weather runway, it may well offer an alternative to Christchurch in case of need, it presents the beginning of a much improved front door to South Canterbury, and it has again demonstrated the ability of local authorities in South Canterbury to cooperate and subjugate personal interests for the benefits of all our people. Mr. Hervey paid tribute to those who had contributed to the success of the project, especially Sir Basil Arthur, MP for Timaru, Mr R L G Talbot, MP for South Canterbury, the local authorities of the district, and the city engineer, Mr H W Waller, and his staff headed by Mr S Smith who supervised - and completed the job in six months.

The introduction of Fokker Friendship aircraft on other secondary services throughout New Zealand had resulted in an upsurge of traffic to the extent of between 25 and 33 percent, and there was reason to believe there would be a similar reaction from South Canterbury, Mr Patterson said, replying to the Mayor on behalf of the corporation. Mr Patterson said the corporation was sustaining losses on its secondary routes to the tune of about $2 million this year, and any additional traffic generated would have the effect of reducing the loss. He suggested that if the Oamaru-Timaru sector could produce, say, seven more passengers each way each day its services would be fully justified. Mr Paterson commended South Canterbury on its initiative and effort and providing a sealed runway, and recalled the corporation’s earlier promises that it would provide a Friendship service once the runway was sealed. “We would not be here today but for the initiative of the people of South Canterbury,” he said. The lack of a second service had obviously deterred business people from visiting the district, and he hoped the new service would prove successful. It was realised that a three-days-a-week service did not present a fair trial, and from late in September the frequency would be increased to five days. From the corporation’s point of view, the new service would have value in that it would help to reduce pressure on the highly popular Christchurch-Wellington service. Expressing the corporation’s appreciation of the manner in which Mount Cook Airlines had carried on the Christchurch-Timaru-Oamaru service under charter, he said: “Mount Cook have done a good job and it is no reflection on the company that NAC is resuming the service.”

On the same afternoon, the 7th of June 1972, NAC’s Douglas DC-3 ZK-AOF resumed operating the Timaru and Oamaru flights in its own aircraft. The first flight was flown under the command of Captain Bill Pattie who had formerly flown through Oamaru as a pilot with S.P.A.N.Z.

From the 25th of September 1972 the frequency of the direct Friendship service between Wellington and Timaru was increased to five days a week that operated Monday to Friday. Over the summer holiday schedule the service operated daily.

Fokker Friendship ZK-BXA at Timaru. Photo : D White Collection

Ten months on after the introduction of the Friendship service the Timaru Herald reported on its success.  The decision of the National Airways Corporation last year to provide a new Wellington Timaru - Wellington afternoon flight, more or less in response to long-standing claims by South Canterbury interests for an improved air service, has been fully justified. Statistics compiled by The Timaru Herald from information supplied by the Mt Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist Company, principal agents for NAC in the city, show that the volume of both passenger and freight traffic increased substantially during the year, compared with the previous 12 months - passengers by almost 50 per cent and freight by more than 100 per cent. In the year to March 31, the daily DC3 service between Timaru and Christchurch carried a total of 8681 passengers, while the Wellington-Timaru-Wellington Fokker Friendship service which was introduced on the completion of the runway sealing project early in June attracted 7559 passengers to give the airport a record return of 16,240 passengers. This compares with 10,887 in the previous year, 11,853 in 1970-71, and the previous best-ever figure of 12,543 in 1965-66 when both NAC and South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand were serving the district. The Wellington Friendship link ran on three days a week from its inception in June until September 24 when the frequency was stepped up to five days a week. Over the December - January holiday season the service was flown on Saturdays and Sundays as well, settling back late in January to a regular five week days. Taking last year's annual returns for the single, two-way DC3 service as the basis, the new Wellington link was responsible for generating more than 5300 new passengers - people it can be assumed, who would otherwise have travelled between Timaru and Christchurch by road transport.

The Fokker Friendship service has been patronised to a much better extent in this first 10 months than was hoped for at the time of its introduction on June 7. Then, the general manager of NAC, Mr D. A. Patterson, told a city function that the introduction of Fokker Friendship aircraft on other secondary services throughout New Zealand, generally, had resulted in an upsurge of traffic between 25 and 33 per cent. The actual increase in patronage of the Timaru services has been within a decimal or two of 50 per cent. The total patronage of the Friendship service was achieved at an average rate of 19.5 passengers each way. Only NAC can provide an accurate calculation, but it is believed that on a Wellington-Timaru flight by a 36-seat Friendship the "break-even" mark would be about 12 or 13 passengers each way. The daily DC3 service had a passenger rate of nearly 12 each way which was slightly in excess of the basic requirement.

Of special significance, the statistics reveal a big increase in the use of the services for the carriage of commercial freight, and the year's tally stands at a record 1,129,283lb,  588,065lb by DC3 and 541,218lb by F27. In the year to March 31 last year, the sole DC3 service carried what was then a record of 512,503lb.

On the 12th of June 1973 NAC added two additional Douglas DC-3 services between Christchurch and Timaru each week. These flights ran on Tuesdays and Fridays, with a flight leaving Christchurch at 10.00am to arrive at Timaru at 10.45am and leaving Timaru at 11.05am returning to arrive at Christchurch at 11.50am. 

Douglas DC-3 ZK-AOF departing Timaru. Photo : D A Walker

In late July 1974 with the decision made to seal of Oamaru airport’s runway and with work about to start, NAC suspended the link between Timaru and Oamaru.  Douglas DC-3 ZK-AOF  made its final southbound flight between Timaru and Oamaru on the 30th of July 1974. It was supposed to make it final northbound flight the following day, the 31st of July 1974, but heavy overnight rain flooded the Oamaru airport with pools of water lying on the runway in several places keeping the DC-3 grounded. ZK-AOF operated its final Oamaru-Timaru sector on the 1st of August 1974.

At this point NAC had hoped to introduce a second direct Timaru-Wellington Friendship service but its introduction was delayed after Fokker Friendship ZK-NAF was damaged in an emergency landing at Wellington. The aircraft, was on a direct flight from Christchurch to Palmerston North but was diverted to Wellington after the captain reported that the undercarriage was not locking into position. The aircraft landed safely but at the end of the runway the starboard undercarriage collapsed causing significant damage. The necessitated that the Douglas DC-3 continued to operate the Timaru-Christchurch sector for a little longer.

Fokker Friendship ZK-BXH departs Timaru. Photographer unknown

Meanwhile, NAC’s schedules and development manager Mr B N New told the Timaru Airport Authority that an air service between Christchurch and Timaru was unlikely after December saying, Only 6 per cent of passengers boarding at Timaru were going to Christchurch — the others were going to the North Island. Cancellation of the air-link between the two centres would be negligible as far as freight was concerned, but after the change Wellington would become the base for all freight to Timaru. Meanwhile, the Timaru Airport Authority sought the inclusion of a stop at Christchurch on the Timaru-Wellington-Timaru service.

The DC-3 ZK-AOF continued to faithfully trundle between Timaru and Christchurch for the remainder of the year. On the 19th of December 1974 the Timaru Herald reported, Tonight, the Timaru Airport will be the terminal point for what is expected to be the last scheduled air service flight by a DC3 airliner in New Zealand. The National Airways Corporation's sole DC-3 - ZK-AOF - will touch down from Christchurch about 7.25pm, discharge its passengers and freight, then take off again for Christchurch on the first-leg of its flight into retirement. Tomorrow, or certainly within the next few days, ZK-AOF will be delivered to Air New Zealand at Auckland where the last 1000 hours of Its useful life will be spent in a flying training programme for flight engineers. It probably could be said that after tonight a DC3 will never again fly on a scheduled service in this country, but experience has shown how unwise it can be to make a prediction too strongly. Coincidental with the retirement tonight of ZK-AOF will be the severing of NAC's Timaru-Christchurch link.

Douglas DC-3 ZK-AOF at Christchurch before its retirement in late 1974. Photographer unknown

Early on the morning of 20th of December 1974 a Fokker Friendship positioned into Timaru to commence the operating of a new, daily, early morning direct Timaru-Wellington service. Around the middle of the day the normal weekday service operated from Wellington to Timaru and return. This service usually ran daily over the summer holiday period. Then in the late afternoon a Friendship left Wellington until and flew direct to Timaru to overnight there. 

Fokker Friendship ZK-NAF at Timaru

With the completion of the sealing of the runway at Oamaru NAC commenced scheduled Friendship services there commenced on the 10th of March 1975 initially extending the midday service further south. Fokker F27-500 Friendship ZK-NAN, under the command of Captain F. Rollands and First Officer A. Highet and hostess C. Harvey in the cabin, carried on from Timaru to Oamaru to arrive there at 2.15pm. At 2.45pm the aircraft departed Oamaru flying back through Timaru and on to Wellington.  

Fokker Friendship ZK-NAB in front of the enlarged terminal at Timaru on 6 January 1977. Photo : D Walker

This initial afternoon service operated five days a week until the 2nd of April 1975 when works to install runway lights and VASI approach lights had been completed at Oamaru. From that point on a Friendship overnighted at Oamaru with the morning northbound service flying Oamaru-Timaru-Wellington daily and returning in the later afternoon/evening. In the middle of the day a second Friendship flew from Wellington to Timaru and return on weekdays. This was to be the pattern of NAC’s Timaru services through to the merger with Air New Zealand and beyond until the retirement of Friendship services in the late 1980s.

NAC Fokker Friendship ZK-BXB at Timaru. Photo : Bob Kerr

In a final postscript to Timaru’s NAC stories an article in the Timaru Herald was published on the 11th of April 1978 detailing the final year of NAC’s operations through Timaru… The Timaru Airport's passenger traffic figures have exceeded 30,000 in a year for the first time. In the 12 months to March 31, a total of 30,190 passengers used the National Airways Corporation services to and from the airport. This represents an increase of 1474 passengers. At the same time the airliners operating to and from the airport carried a total of 480,558 kilograms of freight, compared with 447,667kg to March 31 last year. Patronage of the district's air services has climbed steadily over the last few years. The annual passenger returns since 1972 when NAC introduced a second daily link between Timaru and Wellington are: 1973 - 16,240; 1974 - 21,224; 1975 - 26,607; 1976 - 27,428; 1977 - 28,716; 1978 - 30,190.