Taupō's land and water operator - Taupo Air Services later Lake Taupo Airways

 

Taupo Air Services was established in 1957 by Don Nairn and his wife Nita using Cessna 180 ZK-BQI which was based at Taupō's Centennial Park airfield. The aircraft was paint was white with dark blue markings and a gold strip. The pilot's name 'Don Nairn' was painted on the front fuselage and Company titles on the lower central area of the fuselage.

On the 5th of July 1957 the Taupo Times reported, Taupo in the very near future will have its first air service based at Taupo, following the decision of the Air Services Licensing Authority to grant Taupo Air Services, Limited, a licence for non-scheduled passenger or freight services, air-taxi and charter services to anywhere in New Zealand, and for joy-riding. 

The Authority in granting the licence recognised Taupo's geographical situation presented considerable travel problems and caused, at times, serious inconvenience to local residents. In addition to this it was noted the area was fast becoming the centre of an extremely valuable farming and forestry area and that it was already a world-famous and popular tourist and holiday resort. In presenting his case Don Nairn said, "These matters make it more imperative that the transport facilities should keep pace with local development," he said. Mr Nairn said that from his investigations he believed the company could operate satisfactorily on a capital of £10,000, which would be laid out as follows : Aircraft, £6000 ; hangar, £1000; radio base facilities, £500; working capital, £2500. A Cessna 180 four-seater aircraft had been bought. It was radio-equipped, had wing-racks for supply-dropping, and could be used for ambulance work, he said. A special stretcher had been ordered... He estimated there would be at least 600 hours of revenue-producing operations available each year, which he said was more than sufficient to enable the company to operate economically. In his application he also told the Air Services Licensing Authority that he intended to operate from the Lake in the near future.

J E Story, Mayor of Taupo, appeared in support of the application. He said that for some years the borough council had been anxious to see an air service established and based on Taupo. He referred to the rapid development of this area, and quoted a statement by the Minister of Works, Hon. W. S. Goosman, at the recent opening of the Tirau-Wairakei highway, concerning the important part this area was likely to play in the future of the Dominion through land development, geothermal power, and as a tourist asset. He said the people of Taupo were optimistic that the degree of development would he maintained, and he felt sure such an air service as the one contemplated would be well patronised. To a question by Group Captain White : He felt there was a real need for such a service, based on Taupo. To business people who wished to go to, say, Napier or Auckland, it would be of great help, since if they wished it, they could return the same day. 

Taupo Times, 5 July 1957

In August 1957 Taupo Air Services announced the two non-scheduled air services from Taupō. The first was offered to Napier and Hastings operated twice a day on Mondays and Fridays. The second service was to Auckland and offered a both morning and afternoon return service to Hamilton and Auckland. Both services were offered VFR. Advertising in the Taupo Times for the Thursday Hamilton and Auckland service ceased quickly. 

Taupo Air Services' Cessna 180 ZK-BQI. Photo : I Wooller Collection

In addition to these air services the Cessna was available for air charter and scenic flights.

Taupo Times, 8 August 1957

Taupo Times, 7 November 1957

From the 20th of December through to the 1st of February 1958 the Taupō-Napier-Hastings service was offered twice a day, Monday to Friday. About the same time Petersen Aviation offered a similar afternoon between Napier and Taupō but this was short lived. 

Taupo Times, 19 December 1957

After the 1st of February the Taupo Air Services' flights to the Napier and Hastings reverted to two return flights on Mondays and Fridays. The  service was last advertised on the 10th of April 1958. Writing about the service over the Kaimanawa Ranges to Napier-Hastings in his autobiography, Gold Wings and Webbed Feet, Don Nairn wrote I found it virtually impossible to maintain with a singe-engined aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules. 

Some time after the service ended Don Nairn's Taupo Air Services took a new direction.

On the 14th of August 1958 the Taupo Times carried an advertisement announcing that his Cessna 180 ZK-BQI had been converted to an amphibious float plane that would be operating from the landing reserve near the boat harbour entrance.  

Taupo Times, 14 August 1958

In preparation for the the floatplane operation he applied to the Internal Affairs Department to use a portion of the Landing Reserve of Lake Taupō. The site selected was approved by the officials of the Air Department and, consequently, the Internal Affairs Department gave him permission to establish a floatplane base on the selected site. Some local interests were concerned about public access to the beach in the area. From his response in the Taupo Times a glimpse is gained of some of the issues facing a floatplane operator. Shortly after commencing operations, the site was inspected again by officials in the interests of safety who required me to install a buoy access-channel. The Internal Affairs Department then erected a notice to the public that this channel was a prohibited area, so that all danger would be eliminated to the public. "While on the water," Mr Nairn said, "the aircraft has to obey the Marine regulations. As the visibility from the aircraft is excellent, I have had not difficulty whatsoever with surface craft during the holiday season. Mr Nairn said that the base with its refuelling facilities available to other aircraft bringing tourists to Taupo, was now designated as a public seaplane base, operated by Lake Taupo Airways Limited on lease from the Internal Affairs Department. Mr Nairn said that when the site he was using on the Landing Reserve was selected, the officials of the Air Department took into consideration several factors, which he thought should be brought to the attention of the public. Those considerations were: (1) Proximity to the commercial area of Taupo and other forms of transport. (2) The prevailing weather conditions. (3) The distance from the residential areas. (4) Handiness to the Police and Harbourmaster for search and rescue operations. (5) The safety precautions for the public, the Air Department requiring a fenced operating area and a buoyed access channel. 

"I would like to mention," said Mr Nairn, "that the service provided by Lake Taupo Airways Limited has been welcomed by all informed sections of the community, from the Taupo Borough Council to the Government Tourist Department." He said that public utilisation of the aircraft had been very encouraging. In the first month of operations alone, over 500 persons taking advantage of this new facility now available, he said, to the Taupo public. "The company," he said, "feels that this will grow and result in many more tourists coming to enjoy the wide variety of attractions which Taupo has to offer." Mr Nairn felt that it should be mentioned that during the course of operations, the aircraft had been used for a widely diverse range of purposes, as well as the popular scenic flights. Searches of the Lake for overdue surface craft had been undertaken, he said, and supplies and building materials dropped in inaccessible mountain areas. Stretcher cases and caskets had also been flown out of Taupo, and freight, ranging from bulldozer parts to livestock, brought in. Mr Nairn stated that when flooding severed communications around the Lake, the company provided an airmail service to Turangi, recently. Many fishermen, he added, and tourists with limited time in Taupo, had taken advantage of speedy access to the Western Bays.

Taupo Times, 12 February 1959

In mid-February one of New Zealand Tourist Air Travel's Grumman Widgeon ZK-BGQ flipped at Auckland on the 15th of February 1959. Lake Taupo Airways' Cessna 180 floatplane was chartered to cover for the one-month repair period.

Following this the Cessna 180 headed further north. The Taupo Times of the 26th of March 1959 reported that Mr D. Nairn, the operator of Lake Taupo Airways, with his wife and family, sailed for Fiji on Tuesday on the M.V, Tofua. Mr Nairn's Cessna amphibian aircraft was also aboard. During the winter months Mr Nairn will carry out charter work in the Fiji area and he expects to return to Taupo before the end of September. During the absence of the party any Taupo charter flying will be carried out with a Cessna 180 Iandplane operating off the Taupo aerodrome. The aircraft will be piloted by Mr K. Parrish. In Fiji Mr Nairn will operate under charter to a domestic airline operating with landplanes. "The company consider there is a good deal of work there for an amphibian aircraft and as it is their busy time and the offseason in Taupo the arrangement is very satisfactory to both parties," Mr Nairn said. Lake Taupo Airways commenced flying operations from the Taupo aerodrome in May, 1957, and later, after floats had been fitted, the aircraft operated from the lake. During recent weeks the amphibian has been operated by New Zealand Tourist Air Travel, Auckland, whose Grumman Widgeon amphibian has been under repair following an accident.

In Gold Wings and Webbed Feet Don Nairn wrote, that the Fiji sojourn had not been a financial success owing to the charterers eventually defaulting 0n the initially agreed terms. Returning home I was forced to face the fact that Taupo was then not capable of sustaining my one man operation right throughout the year. It would be viable during the summer months only, and I could not afford to have the plane laid up for months at a time. After closing down Lake Taupo Airways Ltd in early 1960 the Nairns, after a brief time in Levin, moved to Queenstown where Don pioneered floatplane operations for Southern Scenic Air Services Ltd in the Fiordland area. He was later the pilot for the Utah-Williamson-Burnett's Grumman Mallard operation.

Meanwhile, the Cessna ZK-BQI was sold and registered to James Aviation (Rotorua) Ltd, on the 4th of June 1960.