New Zealand News

The financial spin-off from the alliance has been substantial and played no small part in making transpacific Air NZ’s biggest money spinner. United made a point of directing many of its mileage-plus” passengers (regular passengers who aggregate points that can be traded for free or cut-rate travel) the New Zealand way.

There is also the prospect of a renewed war over the ten or eleven wholesale tour agents in the US who write up a substantial part of the leisure traffic to Australasia, and who naturally play the airlines for the best deal.

Meanwhile, the pending departure of Pan American has aroused nostalgia among New Zealanders who have a special affection for this airline.

Pan Am was the first airline to link the country to the outside world, and in 1987 would have celebrated the 50th anniversary of a series of epic proving flights.

Pan Am actually began scheduled passenger services into Auckland from San Francisco (via Hawaii, Kingman Reef and Pago Pago) in 1940, using Boeing 314A flying boats. This was seven years before the airline arrived in Sydney.

The commander of the Sikorsky Clippers to make the first two proving flights was Captain Edwin Musick, who was tragically killed when the Samoan Clipper was on its third flight to Auckland. The best-known air and sea communications station in the country is named after him, Musick Point.

Rnzaf Receives Additional Orion

The first small step in a substantial boost to defence expenditure came in April with the purchase of a sixth P-38 Orion aircraft for the RNZAF.

The new aircraft, ex-RAAF, but purchased from Lockheed for $19 million, was expected to join No. 5 Maritime Squadron at Whenuapai in June. The Service planned then to put it through a $2 million update to bring it into line with other P-38s of the Squadron’s computerised operations system, new radar and infra-red detection equipment, etc.

Following the Anzus disagreement, the Government has agreed that substantially more will have to be spent on defence under a go-it-alone role, and a detailed review is being prepared. Some speculate on a doubling in the money vote.

For the Air Force, the first thrust will have to come in aircrew training. The Service is running dangerously lean on pilots, the result of uncertainty in the Service while the Anzus row was at its 64 Australian Aviation June 1985 height, and strong commercial demand. Air New Zealand recruited 60 pilots in the first half of the year, while the new Newman Airline enticed a number of turbine-rated crews for its Dash Eight aircraft.

As a result, No. 40 Transport Squadron is reputed to have one less captain than it has Hercules aircraft, while No. 5’s crews only just match its aircraft.

New Jet Freighter Service Commences

Pacific Air Freight, which is listed as New Zealand’s second international airline, expects to begin its first services in July. PAF obtained its Government licence in April, and plans a regular Auckland-Los Angeles schedule.

The company is initially wet-leasing a stretched DC-8 freighter from an un-named American supplier but plans eventually to own its aircraft. It was formed late year by Auckland businessman, Mr David Dunningham with three other directors, his son Grant, Aucklander Jeannie Gee and Hong Kong-based New Zealander, Dr Winston Tong.

Air cargo between New Zealand and the US has become a thorny issue, particularly northward bound. At the beginning of 1985, Air New Zealand’s only cargo machine, a converted DC-8 ceased services Into US airports because it contravened noise requirements. The airline decided on economic grounds against fitting hush kits, so all freight travelled in the holds of passenger aircraft The seasonal nature of many local exports resulted in a huge pile up during the summer, particularly of perishables, and big losses to producers despite hastily arranged US charters.

Kiwi’s get their own Mustang

Forget the current aviation upheavals and issues. New Zealand airmen are re-living a love affair.

In 1946, the RNZAF purchased 30 North American P-51D Mustangs which went into service for Territorial weekend fliers. All eventually left local skies, many ending up as scrap and others purchased by wealthy Americans. The last, ZK-CCG left the country in 1974, and now flies as “Cripes A Mighty 3rd” with the EAA Museum.

One of the many haunted by the Merlin drone was Tim Wallis, managing director of Alpine Helicopters, of Wanaka. For more than ten years Wallis searched the Globe for a suitable machine. He stipulated that it had to be under rebuild criteria so that the condition could be readily ascertained.

Success came last year at Fort Wayne’s Baer Field, Indiana, where engineer Ray Mulqueen uncovered an available rebuild. An ex-Indonesian Air Force airframe was being married to the manufacturer’s plate from a former Canadian Air Force Mustang damaged in a forced landing.

In January the aircraft was shipped to New Zealand and bolted together in nine days (the vendor estimated it would take ten weeks). Resplendent in the colours of No. 3 Territorial Air Force Squadron colours, it has been beating up and down the country raising funds for the RNZAF Museum.

Wallis has one mild reservation; it lacks the 1946 spartan touch. Outwardly exact, the Tango Alpha Foxtrot has a 1985 cockpit – leather upholstery, sound-proofing, air conditioning. customised avionics (including IFR with autopilot and HSI), plus an additional 80 gallons of fuel tanked in the gun bays.

First pilot conversion and a constant performer was Captain Trevor Bland, New Zealand Warbird’s president, who usually jockeys an Air New Zealand 747 across the Pacific. Bland went through the Air Force hoops, Vampires, Venoms, Canberras and Skyhawks, but often said he regretted never flying a Mustang. “Life is now complete,” he said, stepping down after his solo.

Lockheed Embarrassed by Navy, Air Force Wrangle

A dispute between the US Navy and Air Force has cost the New Zealand aircraft industry a $5 million contract. The contract, which would have added 40 jobs to Pacific Aerospace’s deple- ted workforce, was for the manufacture of kitsets to upgrade USN P-3 Orion aircraft.

The master contract was let to Lockheed California, which now has a quarter shareholding in Pacific Aerospace. The New Zealand work was for kitsets to enable older Orions to be modified for the dual role of cargo carrying.

However, after the Navy let the contract, the Air Force complained to the US Defence Department that cargo carriage was primarily its job, and the Navy had no authority to undertake the role. A number of Navy officers were ‘chastised’ and the contract was cancelled.

The immediate reaction in New Zealand was that it was retaliation for the Wellington Government’s decision to ban visits by nuclear-powered warships. Lockheed’s Vice President of International Marketing, Mr. Charles de Bedts, said this was not so. The company was extremely embarrassed by the fiasco, he added.

Finger Trouble?

Coolest Pilot of the Year Award must go to Max Donnelly whose two fingers were severed by a loading bin while operating his Fletcher Ag’ aircraft out of a remote North Auckland strip. After staunching the blood, Donnelly popped the fingers in his pocket and took off for the town of Kaitaia – not forgetting en route to make several sweeps to deposit his load of fertilizer.

Unfortunately, surgeons were unable to re-connect the digits, and Donnelly swapped the job for flying a rescue helicopter out of Auckland.

Battling Bureaucracy

An isolated piece of silliness in a Government pledged to open skies and the banishment of protectionism.

New Zealand has three international airports: Auckland (the busiest), Christchurch (the best, but not busy) and Wellington (whose international rating rests only on the ability of Qantas’ 747 SP to rocket off the short, water-bound strip).

In April, Air New Zealand and British Airways announced a special, limited-season fare between Auckland and London. Since some tickets were only a little above half the usual price, the rush was on.

Qantas, rightly assuming it could offer the same fares as Singapore Airlines, began selling the same tickets in Christchurch and Wellington as well as Auckland. But to avoid upsetting the others, it added the cost of an Auckland ticket onto its direct flights out of the two southern centres.

Naturally, the citizens complained. Their chagrin was directed not at Qantas, but at the system which made the add-on necessary. Air New Zealand ‘is quick with accusations of “predatory fare setting”.

The upshot: the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Dick Prebble, banned Qantas from selling the fares, add-on or no add-on. There the matter simmers until the next limited fare comes up. The incident highlights a cooling of relationships between old pool partners, Air New Zealand and Qantas, stemming from a number of fare disagreements. The Australian carrier with its frequent international services out of Christchurch, and the only ones out of Wellington, has built a strong rapport with the southern cities – not unnoticed by competitors.

Air New Zealand ceased overseas flights out of Wellington four years ago with the last of its DC-8s and is estimated to lose at least $100 million in revenue to Qantas a year because of this. Not surprisingly, its first Boeing 767ER, due on September 9, will go onto Wellington trans-Tasman services.

Rnzaf Skyhawk Updates Proceed

Four overseas bids have been received by the RNZAF for its proposed avionics update on its 22 A-4 Skyhawks. All, in accordance with requirements for the work to be done locally. have teamed up with local aviation interests.

Lockheed Aircraft Service has nominated Pacific Aerospace (Lockheed holds a 24. 9% shareholding in the New Zealand company), Lear Siegler has nominated Air New Zealand, Israeli Aircraft Industries with Safe Air, and GEC Avionics has yet to identify its partner. The bids were being evaluated.

Meanwhile, the Service’s Woodbourne engineering base has completed the configuration on the first two of ten A-4 Skyhawk aircraft purchased from the Australian Navy last year. The change from G to K configuration involved alterations to cockpit layout and the fitting of drag chutes. A start is also being made on rebuilding wings, using a jig that came with the Navy machines. Three wings a year will be done.

The avionics update to be done outside the Service includes new communications and radar systems, the fitting of an air-to-surface weapons delivery system and a head-up display.

Birds of a Feather

New Zealand’s first all-women flight crew began operating on April 29 when the new provincial carrier, Southern Cross Airways, began scheduled services between Auckland and Whangarei.

Air New Zealand to Upgrade Friendships

Air New Zealand has ordered 27 fuel-saving modification kits for the Mk 532 Darts in its Series 500 F. 27 Friendships. The first Rolls-Royce kit will be fitted for service in December.

Chief maintenance engineer at the Christchurch Base, Mr Ray Webster, estimated the $1 million order would be recouped within 30 months because of a 12% cut in fuel consumption. The kits allow the airline to do away with heavy water-methanol systems used to boost take-off power.