New Zealand News

737 Engine Failure Cause Found

Oversized overhauled turbine blades were found to be the cause of the spate of engine failures that led Air New Zealand to ground its fleet of 10 hushkitted 737-200s in mid-February. The overhauled blades were minutely oversized and as a result did not correctly fit into the turbine rotor, affecting balance and making some blades too tight and others too loose. The incorrectly sized blades had been overhauled by a company in the USA and were fitted to the 10 hushkitted 737-200s, while the remaining three 737s were fitted with new blades and were not grounded. To cope with the grounding Air New Zealand leased 737s from Pacific Airlines, a 757 from Britannia and used 767s for domestic services. The grounded 737s were progressively fitted with new blades manufactured by Pratt & Whitney and had all been returned to service by mid-April.

Wigram to Close in September

Details of the closure of the RNZAF base Wigram have been finalised, with the announcement that the base will close on September 15. The base closure will have an initial cost of $NZ33m, the money being spent on relocating staff and upgrading facilities at Woodbourne and Auckland, where most of Wigram’s 450 staff are being relocated. The two Wigram based UH-1H Iroquois helicopters are being moved to Christchurch airport. However the Wigram based RNZAF Museum will remain at its present site. The RNZAF says the costs of the closure will be offset in part by the sale of the base, although recent estimates put the value of Wigram well below even the 1988 valuation of $NZ25m. Councillor Morgan Fahey says that it would not be worth buying Wigram for recreation and aviation purposes for more than $NZ10m.

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