Rotorua Airport a brief history

 Rotorua Aerodrome 1920s to 1970s

Rotorua’s first airport was known variously as the Rotorua Aero Club Aerodrome, the Municipal Aerodrome, Whakarewarewa Aerodrome and the Rotorua Airfield.

Whites Aviation Limited. 1933. Rotorua Airfield, 14-6633. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).  No known copyright restrictions.

Planes landing in Rotorua however started c1919 and used the Arawa Park Racetrack and Vaughans Farm on Te Ngae Road.  Two young Rotorua lads trained at the Walsh Flying School, Kohimarama near Auckland c1918, Mr. Eric Roe and Mr. P. A. Kusabs.  (Stafford, 1983)

In 1922 an aeroplane piloted by Captain Brake was taking passengers on short flights from the racecourse, on one such flight Captain Brake had to make an emergency landing on the narrow beach at the back of the Postmaster Bath. No further damage to the aeroplane occurred and his two passengers were not injured.  (New Zealand Herald, 1922)

In 1929 the Auckland Star reported that:

A De Haviland Moth aeroplane piloted by Captain T. W. White, with Mr G.W. Stead as passenger arrived at Arawa Park at 9.00am from Hastings, after a flight of 1 hour and 40 minutes. (Auckland Star, 1929).

During the 1920s planes were also conducting short passenger rides from Vaughans Farm, Te Ngae Road.  Hamilton Airways Ltd. operated 3 Gypsy Moths c.1929-1930. (Stafford, 1983)

When the first Rotorua Aero Club formed in c1930, members were responsible for constructing a landing strip on land that was part of the State Forestry block.   Rotorua Aero club later initiated an amalgamation with others in the Bay of Plenty. Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Aero Club was duly formed in 1938 with Mayor T. Jackson as its president, at this time Mr. S.J. Blackmore, of Hamilton, had agreed to act as an instructor, he also owned the aircraft, a Sports Avian, which was used until the club were able to purchase one.  They then set about planning an Air Pageant for Easter even though the club did not own any aeroplanes as yet.  

About the same time Rotorua Airways Ltd. was formed with mostly Aero Club members, some 20 men were listed as the owners. It was however a short lived venture and they amalgamated with the Waikato Airways company in September of 1930, but had ceased business by March 1934. (Stafford, 1983)

Pilot training began and it was acknowledged that Blackmore had trained ‘a record number’. (Rotorua Morning Post, 1941).  Their first fully qualified pilot was Mr Basil Smith (New Zealand Herald, 1939)

In 1931 a plane crash was recorded in the newspapers. The plane owned and piloted by Captain Money hit an air pocket on take-off from the Rotorua Aerodrome and crashed into the garden of a house opposite.  His passengers, Mr J Fortune and Mr W.G. Setchell, were unharmed. (Horowhenua Chronicle, 1931).  This was however not the first plane to crash at or near the aerodrome, others were recorded by the news media of the day prior to this one and quite a lot more in the next decade.

Stafford tells of the first ever airmail delivery arrived which in Rotorua on the 10^th December 1931:

Two sizeable bags of mail were handed off for Rotorua and the Postmaster, Mr G. Nelson, handed a bag of over 300 letters as Rotorua’s contribution to the venture.

Some facilities were provided by the Borough Council in the form of a hangar. Also around this time a new east-west runway of 680 yards was completed, under the supervision of the Borough engineer. (Stafford, 1983)

Famous aviators visited Rotorua, flying in and landing either at Vaughans Farm or Copeland Smith’s farm. The most notable was Sir Charles Kingsford Smith who flew his “Southern Cross” in January 1933.  While in Rotorua he took intrepid adventurers up in the plane for joyrides. (Stafford, 1983)

In 1935 Stan Blackmore, (Previously of Hamilton Airways Ltd c1929 and Waikato Aviation c.1930) applied for permission to conduct his business from the Municipal Aerodrome. He was granted one year’s full use for free because he was a licenced instructor. Stan Blackmore, known locally as ‘Blackie’, was also the first to make a mercy flight picking up a seriously ill person and flying the person to the Rotorua Hospital. Waikato Aviation was changed to Blackmores Air Services Ltd. in 1947 and operated in Rotorua until 1977. Blackmore's was sold to James Aviation in 1951 after Stan Blackmore retired.  (Daily Post, 1983)

Rotorua Post. (1948, September 29). Advertisement. Rotorua Post.

Work is almost completed on the new hangar at the Borough Aerodrome for which £600 was included in the last estimates of the Rotorua Borough Council. Comprehensive plans were provided by the Public Works Dept. to provide for future needs and extensions at the aerodrome.  (New Zealand Herald, 1941).

In 1941 Prime Minister Fraser opens the new hangar and a new Aero Club rooms:

The new hangar is described as “of modern design, is capable of housing four planes…while the club-house adjacent is equipped with all facilities”. (Rotorua Morning Post, 1941)

Also in 1941 a Moth bi-plane belonging to the Aero club had to make a forced landing on a vacant plot across the road from the Aerodrome as the engine cut out. The pilot Mr. H. Boucher was unharmed and passenger Mr. E. Shaw received minor injuries, however the “plane’s undercarriage was wrenched off, and would be out of commission for some time” (Rotorua Morning Post, 1941)

Rotorua Aerodrome was taken over by the RNZAF from 1 Aug 1942 and young recruits were stationed in Rotorua for their initial training.  Stan Blackmore was allowed to store his aircraft in the existing hangar because he had just paid for a 3 year lease.  (Stafford, 1983)

After the war in 1947, the Rotorua Aero Club, reformed and resumed flying instruction for budding aviators and a nurse, Marie Watt, was one of their first pupils, and the first of her class to make a solo flight.  

Commercial use of the aerodrome resumed and NAC announced their first regular service was to begin on 27 Sept 1948, with a ‘Lockheed Electra’ named the ‘Kuaka’ which could accommodate up to 10 passengers and 2 crew.  (Rotorua Post, 1948). 

 

Building of Blackmore's Air Services, Rotorua. Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-19820-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22837762 

By 1950 the era of agricultural top-dressers begins and by 1954 James Aviation is offering a regular daily passenger flight ‘Rotorua – Kawerau – Kinleith – Mangere’ (Rotorua Post, 1954).  Helicopters made their debut at the aerodrome on 12^th April 1955, about 6000 people went to see it and paid for a short ride. The first passenger was the Mayoress Mrs A. M. Linton. (Rotorua Post, 1955)

In 1951, James Aviation bought Blackmores’s Air Services when Stan Blackmore retired and by 1959 James Aviation Rotorua Ltd. is formed, and becomes a fixture at the Rotorua Aerodrome. (Stafford, 1983)

James Aviation Fleet - Fenton Street Aerodrome, photograph by John Scott (b.1934, d.2000) Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa (CP-2213)

In December of 1956 NAC were forced to cease flights into the Fenton Street airport after retiring their smaller Domonie aircraft. A new Heron aircraft had crashed while attempting to take off in September of 1955, apparently the nose wheel ploughed an 11ft furrow in the field slid along the runway for another 36ft and then digging in again and coming to a stop. (Rotorua Post, 1955)

Our most notable visitor at this time was the newly crowned Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.  They were flown from the Rotorua Aerodrome to Gisborne in one of the new NAC Heron aircraft.  (Stafford, 1983).

Rotorua services to Auckland did not resume until Bay of Plenty Airways commenced a service to Auckland with a seven seater Aero Commander Airliner on 2 September 1959 and in the same year service to Wellington which was used extensively by Rotorua MP Harry Lapwood from 1960.  The service came to a tragic end when the plane crashed on Mt Ruapehu with all lives lost, 21 November 1961.  NAC arranged James Aviation to provide a feeder service from Rotorua to Tauranga and Hamilton which continued until a new aerodrome could be built in Rotorua. (Davis, 2003)

A new era in the life of air services to and from Rotorua begins:

New Rotokawa airport negotiations had begun in 1957 and by September that year Mayor Linton announces that “quite definitely that the site will be Rotokawa” although Civil Aviation said the ‘soil tests were not as good as they might be’.  (Rotorua Post, 1957)

On the 11^th of  November 1963 the following article was published on the first day of business at the airport:

Rotorua, the centre of New Zealand’s tourist industry, rejoined the national airways network this morning – just a year after work began on the £350,000 airport at Rotokawa. The seven year break ended when a South Pacific Airways of New Zealand Viewmaster touched down… 

A special N.A.C. inaugural flight carrying 26 mayors and deputy mayors from around the north island along with Guide Rangi were flown to Wellington where they were greeted by the Mayor of Wellington and Managers of N.A.C.  (Daily Post, 1963)

The official opening of the airport took place on the 3^rd October 1964 at 2.00pm., by Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister of New Zealand.  An air pageant took place from 10. 35am., with 5 RNZA Vampire Jets arriving in formation from Ohakea. The first NAC Friendship aircraft to touch down in Rotorua arrived at 11.30am with the Prime Minister on board.  (Daily Post, 1964)

Rotorua Printers (1964). Rotorua Airport official opening: Saturday, 3rd October, 1964. Rotorua Printers.

New sections were laid out on the old aerodrome land and Fenton Park became Rotorua's newest suburb.  

Mayor Linton on opening the Parade of Homes at Fenton Park, remarked that:

Up until today, confirmed sales have amounted to £289,000, just £1000 short of the half-way mark… when sales were complete, Rotorua would have achieved a new airport at virtually no cost to the district, something few, if any other centres could boast. (Daily Post, 1967)

Rotorua Photo News. (1967, April 7). [Roving camera]. Rotorua Photo News.

 Rotorua Heritage Collection. Rotorua Library.

In the years that follow:  

First for the Rotorua area in 1967 a tourist flight company began operating from the Rotorua Airport ‘Helicopter Service & Safaris’ financed by Don Wishart and managed by Hank Whitfield with an additional pilot George Johnson. (Stafford, 1983)

1971 Rotorua Aero Club purchase a seven seater Cessna in order to launch their new tourist flights service which was named  Volcanic ‘Wunderflites’ and begins officially on 2 May 1971 with Capt. Fred Ladd as its pilot. (Stafford, 1983)

Civil Aviation announce that a permanent control tower has becomes necessary on 4^th June 1971. Opens 14 November 1974. (Stafford, 1983)

23 March 1975, NAC opens its new building in Amohau Street, after outgrowing the Eruera Street office which had opened c.1963.  The new purpose built, modern with a touch of luxury and thermal heating.  The exterior was designed by Rotorua architect Mr. C. Deacon and the interior by NAC staff of Wellington. (Daily Post, 1975)

References:

Stafford, D.M. (1983). Flying the thermal skies. Thermalart Productions.

Gavin, B. (2003). To and from the Bay: by Speedy Aero Commander. In R. Waugh, Taking off: pioneering small airlines of New Zealand 1945-1970. (pp.142-157). Kynaston Charitable Trust.

Rotorua Printers (1964). Rotorua Airport official opening: Saturday, 3rd October, 1964. Rotorua Printers.

Articles:

New Zealand Herald. (1922, March 27). Aeroplane at Rotorua: a forced landing. New Zealand Herald.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19220327.2.51?items_per_page=10&page=2&query=aeroplane+rotorua+forced&snippet=true

Auckland Star. (1929, 20 May). Hastings-Rotorua flight: journey in 100 minutes. Auckland Star.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19410326.2.60?items_per_page=10&query=rotorua+aerodrome+&snippet=true&title=NZH

Horowhenua Chronicle. (1931, September 15). Three seater plane crashes at Rotorua. Horowhenua Chronicle. 

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HC19310915.2.60?items_per_page=10&query=three+seater+plane+crashes&snippet=true

 New Zealand Herald. (1939, June 21). Rotorua Aero Club. New Zealand Herald.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19390621.2.102?items_per_page=10&page=3&query=rotorua+aero+club&snippet=true

New Zealand Herald. (1941, March 26). Rotorua Aerodrome. New Zealand Herald.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19410326.2.60?end_date=31-12-1950&items_per_page=10&query=rotorua+aerodrome&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1939 

Rotorua Morning Post. (1938, November 17). Aero Club: formed in Rotorua. Rotorua Morning Post

Rotorua Morning Post. (1941, April 23). New hangar and clubroom: Rotorua’s aviation facilities. Rotorua Morning Post.

Rotorua Morning Post. (1941, October 20). Plane’s forced landing: Rotorua Aerodrome. Rotorua Morning Post.

Rotorua Morning Post. (1947, September 23). Solo aero flight. Rotorua Morning Post.

Rotorua Morning Post. (1948, December 16). Air traffic: Auckland direct: Rotorua service to begin Monday. Rotorua Morning Post.

Rotorua Post. (1954, December 16). Daily air service starts Monday: Rotorua-Kawerau-Kinleith link with Mangere. Rotorua Post.

Rotorua Post. (1957, September 20). Rotorua’s Aerodrome will be sited at Rotokawa, says Mayor. Rotorua Post.

Daily Post. (1963, November 11). Isolation ends – tourists welcome air travel. Daily Post.

Daily Post. (1964, October 3). Jets ‘christen’ new city airport. Daily Post.

Daily Post. (1964, October 5). Govt. to pay for airport facilities. Daily Post.

Daily Post. (1967, March 18). Fenton Park sales near halfway. Daily Post.

Daily Post. (1975, March 22). Opening of new aircentre. Daily Post

Plane events in Rotorua in Octobers past

This week's blog topic is quirky. I began looking for events that had happened in October over the decades and discovered three separate incidents involving aircraft. The first snippet which I found in Don Stafford's chronology stated Aeroplane crashes on Fenton Street. That piqued my interest...

1941

What's interesting is the way the 1941 headline is structured giving information in pieces as the image below shows.

Rotorua Morning Post 20 October 1941, p 4

So what happened? First of all, the plane was a Moth bi-plane owned by the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Aero Club. Apparently, when the petrol tap was checked, it was turned past on, to the off position so as the aircraft took off the petrol flow to the engine failed. The pilot, Mr H. Boucher, having lifted off the runway, tried to land on a vacant section over the road from the aerodrome but fell short. So when he landed he caught part of the road edge, which wrenched the undercarriage off. Both the pilot, Mr Boucher and his passenger, Mr E. Shaw were able to extricate themselves without much difficulty the newspaper stated.

1965

The headline in 1965 is much more sobering.

Daily Post 2 October 1965, p 1

The light plane, a two-seater Victa air tourer, clipped high tension power lines at about 10.15 am and crashed in shrub very near to Western Heights High School. As in the 1941 incident, the plane belonged to the Rotorua Aero Club.

The fuselage of the plan where it ended up with wings broken off
. Daily Post 2 October 1965 p 1

The engine was thrown clear of the wreckage.
 Daily Post 2 October 1965, p 1.

Within minutes of the crash nearby residents, ambulance and fire brigade staff were on the scene. The pilot, John Murdoch was pulled from the plane but was dead on arrival at Rotorua Hospital.

John Murdoch (39)  had only been in Rotorua for seven weeks, and was a Rotorua radio announcer. He had come to Rotorua from North Rhodesia where he had also been involved in broadcasting. During WW2 he had served with the Royal Air Force. The N.Z.B.C. team at Rotorua had been testing an idea of doing a programme from the air. It is believed Mr Murdoch, the only staff member to have a pilot's license, was testing this out at the time of the crash.

The crash into the power lines caused a power outage all over the city. Homes as far south as Reporoa and as far north as Mamaku were affected for about eight hours.

1974

The final event is a bit bizarre and the headline says it all!

Daily Post 2 October  1974, p 1

A helicopter flying over Mt Ngongotaha was hit on a rotor blade by a high velocity object, possibly a bullet. The Hughes 500 helicopter was operated by Wishart Helicopters Ltd. When the rotar blade was initially inspected a 10c piece sized gash was found on the surface, not something that would have been done by a stone. A scientific examination would need to be undertaken to establish the cause of the damage according to Detective Sergeant D.W.I. Beck, who was in charge of the inquiry.


This blog was written by Trish. Thanks to Don Stafford Collection and the Daily Post.

Rotorua Police Station - 50 years in Fenton Street

The news for Tuesday 22nd July 1969 was dominated by the Moon Landing, but also in the news that day was the new Rotorua police station, which opened on Fenton Street for business at 8am. At that time the telephones and radios were changed over, and the doors of the old Tutanekai Street station (now the Pig n Whistle) were closed by Inspector E. C. Welsh.

Inspector E. C. Welsh closes the doors of the old Tutanekai Street station. Credit: The Daily Post, Tuesday 22 July 1969, 3

The new police station

The watch-house was located on the ground floor directly opposite the main entrance. The two-storey, 22-cell block building had facilities for both male and female prisoners, with proper meal, recreation and toilet facilities, and thermal heating.

Also on the ground floor were the uniform senior-sergeants, sergeants, and constables offices, and muster rooms, with a self-contained kitchen for night shift staff. The arm office was also on the ground floor to the left of the watch-house.

The Criminal Investigation Branch was based on the first floor, along with Inspector Welsh, the officer in charge of the station, and Superintendent B. R. Alty, the officer in charge of the Rotorua police district.

The top floor had a photography darkroom, a large recreation room, and the records and administration offices.

The site for the new Rotorua police station in Fenton Street in August 1967 (left), and construction work under way in November 1967 (right). Source: Policing two peoples: a history of police in the Bay of Plenty (Jinty Rorke, 1993)

Police Station, Fenton Street. Credit: The Daily Post, Tuesday 29 July 1969, p. 11.

Official opening

The new station, which was Rotorua's fourth station since 1886 and cost $207,000 was officially opened a week later on Tuesday 29th July by Minister of Police Hon. Percy B. Allen. Other dignitaries present included Mayor Murray Linton, Rotorua MP Harry Lapwood, F.O. Scott (Assistant Commissioner of Police, Auckland), S. C. Browne (retired Superintendent of Police, who had served in Rotorua), P. A. Byrne (Chief Superintendent, Auckland), W. H. A. Sharp (Assistant Commissioner of Police, Wellington), and Joseph Saunders (Superintendent of Police, Wellington).

The opening was preceded by a parade led by the Auckland Highland Pipe Band under Drum Major P. Faulkner. The parade featured members of the uniform branch, the Criminal Investigation Branch, the women's division, and the dog unit.

The Rotorua Aero Club also flew three Cessna aircraft over the parade.

After the official ceremony, members of the public were invited to view the station and tea and light refreshments were served in the canteen.

Click on the images below to see them full size.

The Daily Post, Wednesday 30 July 1969, p. 9.

Rotorua Photo News, No. 72, 30 August 1969, pp. 22-25.

Rotorua Police Station in the 1980s. Credit: The Daily Post.

An upgrade

There have been minor changes to the station building over the years. For example, in 1989 the station was painted lilac with eden green and chetwode blue highlights. A colour scheme, which divided opinion at the time.

The first part of a major redevelopment occurred in 2008 when the cell block was replaced with a $14 million custody centre.

In 2012 the Fenton Street Police Station underwent a much needed $18.5 million upgrade.

During the demolition and construction of the new building the temporary police station was located across the road in the former Spence's building. Some staff, such as the patrol group, road patrol group, dog handlers and tactical group worked from the existing Fenton Street site out of temporary buildings located behind the custody centre.

The newly renovated station was blessed at 5.15am on Monday 19th May 2014 by several iwi representatives. It had its official opening on 6th June 2014.

Police station under construction. Credit: The Daily Post. Photographer: Stephen Parker

This post was written by Graeme. Thanks to The Daily Post and Policing two peoples: a history of police in the Bay of Plenty (Jinty Rorke, 1993).

Float plane - 50 years in Rotorua

This month marks fifty years since the first commercial float plane service begun in Rotorua.

Float plane. Credit: Rotorua Photo News, No. 66, 15 March 1969.

In 1968, the Rotorua Aero Club made an application to the Rotorua City Council to introduce a float plane service. The Council declined the application in June stating that the service would be 'to the detriment of the public's right of enjoyment of lake and the lakefront reserve.'

In November 1968, The Daily Post run with the headline 'Floatplane on lakefront by Christmas'. The Council was considering approving the application provided consent from other affected parties was obtained. In December the application was granted.

A Cessna 180A, ZK-BVG was chosen as the aircraft for the the initial service. The Cessna has been used as a charter plane in Rotorua since 1959.

Cessna 180A, ZK-BVG, before conversion to float plane. Credit: Flying the Thermal Skies (Stafford, Don, 1983).

Captain Freddie P. Ladd piloted the first service. Ladd with 30 years flying experience had come to Rotorua from Auckland in October 1968 to organise the service.

The four-seater plane was consecrated by Reverend N. Te Hau before its first demonstration passenger flight on Friday January 10 1969. The passengers on the first flight were Mayor of Rotorua Murray Linton and his wife, and the chairman of the Rotorua County Council J.B. Thomas.

Commercial flights began the following day.

Mayor Murray Lindon, watched by Captain Ladd, cuts the ribbon to set the float plane service in action. Credit: The Daily Post, Friday 10 January, 1969, p. 1.

This article was written with information from The Daily Post, Rotorua Photo News, and Don Stafford's book Flying the Thermal Skies. Lending and reference copies of Flying the Thermal Skies are available from the library.

This post was written by Graeme.