New Zealand News

The trauma was followed by some interesting developments. In achieving its goal as a lean and hungry money-making machine under former British Petroleum executive, Mr Norman Geary, the airline appears to have slipped disastrously in staff-management relations and also in interpreting itself to the public.

Three weeks after the strike, all 6600 employees received in the post an extraordinary letter from Mr. Geary. Its gist was that certain people in positions of power and influence were bent on dragging the airline into an international open skies situation. If they succeeded, the airline was unlikely to survive in its present form. Assets would be sold off and there would be huge staff lay- offs.

Mr Geary vehemently attacked the cabin crew union for “blatant self-interest” and warned that such industrial action played into the hands of those seeking open skies. The letter aroused an angry Outcry among many groups within the company and the strong Airline Pilots’ Association accused the management of paranoia and naivete.

In listing increased competition expected this year, Mr. Geary noted the almost certain entry of a third US carrier on New Zea- land services about mid-year. Typically, the airline refused to be drawn further, while the Civil Aviation Division expressed surprise and no knowledge of this development.

Then slowly a picture began to emerge as other carriers pricked up their ears. A section of the New Zealand bilateral agreement with the United States comes up for renegotiation this year. It involves a five-year moratorium in which the US Government undertook not to support attempts by other US airlines to join Pan American and Continental on trans-Pacific Services to New Zealand.

The expiry date for the moratorium is April but talks with US officials are now expected to begin in November.

Further delving suggests that one American airline is in fact interested in coming on to the route and it is none other than the giant, United. The rumour (and it remains one at present) has no more gladdened Pan Am and Continental than it has Mr. Geary. The existing bilateral is vague in apportioning traffic – it states that it should be “fair and even” – and is vulnerable to differences in interpretation by the New Zealand and US authorities. Traditionally, Air New Zealand has carried half the international traffic in and out of the country.

Among the powerful voices known to be pressing for more unrestricted competition in the South Pacific are the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr. Dick Prebble, and the Minister for Overseas Trade and Tourism, Mr. Mike Moore. In something of a paradox, the new Labour Government is proving more oriented towards the open market than the former National Government.

Mr. Prebble has already acted to loosen controls. A massively unwieldy system designed to ban discounting of international fares, Introduced by the former government, was ditched by Mr. Prebble who described it as a “bureaucratic gobbledygook”. Mr. Moore is committed to making tourism the country’s top overseas exchange earner.

So Air New Zealand will indeed find itself in a much fiercer economic climate this year, with no guarantee of survival. It won’t be helped by the arrival (or return) of Canadian Pacific services in November and the Continental link through London. The trans-Pacific and London extension, together with the Tokyo service, are by far its best money-spinners, with passenger loads running almost embarrassingly full.

The airline’s recovery (from a loss of $90 million in 1981-82) was engineered in classic manner: by a one-in-five reduction of staff while holding costs and an unpublicised renegotiation of fuel prices, saving the company nearly $20 million a year.

But though it has the public’s goodwill, it appears to have done little to capitalise on this. The airline recently lost out in the High Court in an embarrassing battle with travel agents Over an attempt to impose banking constraints on money written for airlines at one stage the airline threatened to withdraw ticketing plates from agents who refused to come to heel.

Over the past year it has attempted to nip off access by the media to experts within the company, with the predictable result of a consistently bad press. Odd things have happened when unfavourable stories have been published: advertising has dried up suddenly and certain publications removed from aircraft cabins.

The environment has been noted by the Government. Mr. Moore, who played a crucial part in resolving the Christmas debacle, said he was astonished at the bitterness within the airline. The message implicit: little support from the Government, at least until the airline gets its lines of communication straightened -out.

With the present bilateral agreement fast running out, rumour has it that United Airlines has its eyes set firmly on New Zealand,

Drover Returns Home

The only de Havilland DHA-3 Drover in New Zealand and possibly one of only a few left flyable in the world, is on its way home. Until the end of 1984, the machine was in daily use on scheduled passenger services with Great Barrier Airlines, flying the 100km between Auckland and Great Barrier.

Early this year the brokerage company Dennis Thompson International sold it to Dunedin-based South Air Aviation. Mr. Mike Kelly of South Air said it was bought on behalf of an Australian customer but declined to name the buyer. The Dr- over, which changed hands for about $45,000 (NZ) will be dismantled and shipped to Australia.

The Drover was built about 1948 at Bankstown and flown to New Zealand via Lord Howe Island in the late 1960s by Jim Hazleton. For several years it was based at Dairy Flat Aerodrome, north of Auckland and used by sky-diving clubs.

Former 747 pilot, Captain Jim Bergman, found the machine abandoned and in dilapidated condition in 1983. He purchased it and with a crew of engineers, spent several months restoring it for certification and fitting out a very smart passenger cabin. The aircraft became the first of the Great Barrier fleet established by Captain Bergman and chalked up a reputation for reliability and being on time.

Jim Bergman decided to sell the aircraft after the fleet grew to four, including a fully IFR Britten Norman Islander. The aircraft, long re-engined with Lycoming 180s, is strictly VFR.

Kiwi Tiger Community Booming

More than two dozen DH82 Tiger Moths are still flying in New Zealand, and more are being restored to flying status. In late January, the Tiger Moth Club held a fly-in at Blenheim which also constituted the New Zealand heat for the Tiger Moth Aerobatic Competitions to be competed for in Britain later this year.

A disproportionately large number of the local Tiger owners are airline jet jockeys who like to get down to some real flying.

One of New Zealand’s two dozen de Havilland Tiger Moths is presently on the register.

Warning Given on Digital Electronics

Safety worries have sent the Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers and Technologists (and its fellow body, the Federation of Airworthiness) on a watchdog campaign.

Chief among its concerns are digital electronics, coming in with the big twinjets, B767s and A310s, and soon to become an integral part of many light twins and general aviation aircraft. Whether New Zealand operators and the Civil Aviation Division are fully cognizant of the vagaries of DE is debatable, but the engineers are taking no chances.

They flew in Qantas expert, Mr. Barry Cupitt, and teamed up with the Royal Aeronautical Society in a series of lectures in the main centres. As Mr. Culpitt pointed out, a modification as simple as the installation of a cockpit light had the potential to put a hidden knot into the system’s computerised memory which might even show up later in the aircraft’s fly-by-wire controls, with catastrophic results. A minute amount of static in the hands of a technician could wreck a component. Digital electronics have to be handled with surgical care and precision.

Another worry for engineers and pilots is the increasing volume of Customs free spirituous liquor carried in cabins on international flights. They are pressing for Customs free purchasing (as is now done in Australia) in New Zealand at the end of flights, but as NZALPA Technical Director, Captain David Clemow, said, “New Zealand bureaucracy doesn’t like being told what to do by the experts”.

A sobering point: the average jumbo flying into New Zealand (and probably most other countries) carries nearly half a tonne of high-proof liquor in its overhead luggage racks. A spill could easily be ignited by a cigarette lighter. The engineers are also alarmed at the decreasing number of apprentices being engaged in the industry. The trend began some years ago and is now showing up in a shortage of qualified personnel. President of the Society. Mr. Len Gore, warned airlines that with the increasing sophistication of new aircraft, they ignored the trend at their own peril.

Plans Approved for RNZAF Museum

Thanks to Australian generosity, the growing RNZAF Museum at Wigram has got a Canberra bomber, in pristine flying condition. The gift Canberra was flown from Amberley by Squadron Leader Noel Williamson. His navigator was Flight Lieutenant Vaughan Crosby.

The B2 is virtually the same as the aircraft flown by the RNZAF’s No. 75 Squadron from Tengah, Singapore, between 1958 and 1962. The nine aircraft were hired from the RAF.

Between 1959 and 1962, the RNZAF took delivery of eleven B(1)12 and two T13 Canberras which continued in service in New Zealand until 1970. Ten of these machines were later sold to India, and one to the British Aircraft Corporation. Two were lost in accidents.

The Museum, whose collection includes such venerables as a Hawker Hind, Grumman TBF Avenger, Vildebeeste, Devon, etc. , as well as engines, mementos and records, at present occupies a large hangar. To this is being added a two-story extension which will contain a hall of memories, an 80-seat auditorium, library and research centre.

Last year, the Service decided it would also form the nucleus of an Air Force College complex, becoming closely associated with academic training. It would be joined by the Command Training School, and by the RNZAF Command and Staff College, now based at Whenuapai, Auckland.

Meanwhile, the purchase of ten former Royal Australian Navy A-4G Skyhawks has led to the reforming of one of the RNZAF’s original squadrons, No. 2, at Ohakea. No. 2 now co-exists alongside the other Skyhawk squadron, No. 75.

No. 2 Squadron is responsible for Skyhawk conversion train- ing, the development of operating procedures and tactics, the evaluation of weapons systems and tactical reconnaissance (the RNZAF believes in loading the roles).

The original No. 2 Bomber Squadron was formed in 1930 as part of the Territorial Air Force, and entered the war equipped with 12 Baffin biplanes. It later flew Hudsons and Venturas throughout the Pacific hot spots. In 1946 it was involved in training Mosquito pilots, and was disbanded in 1957 as a Territorial squadron flying Mustangs.

Newmans Airways Into Operation With Dash 7s

New Zealand’s newest airline, firstborn of the new deregulation policy of the NZ government, Newmans has commenced services with two de Havilland Canada Dash 7 aircraft.

The Newmans Group Limited, parent company of the airline, is the largest ground transportation concern in New Zealand. As a natural extension of their ground transport services, the company is expanding into the aviation field to cater for the Japanese, North American, Australian and domestic tourists vacationing in New Zealand.

The carrier commenced operations on February 12 when it inaugurated a four-city route network between Auckland and Rotorua on the North Island and Christchurch and Queenstown on the South Island. Newmans anticipates more than 3,000 hours of utilisation annually per aircraft on routes that range from 100 to more than 350nm in length. The carrier is hoping to carry more than 100,000 passengers during 1985 alone and if growth estimates hold, then additional aircraft will be added to the fleet as required.