Surviving Miles Aircraft and Remnants

[Peter Lewis]

Piako Aero Club?
They never owned AXD - HB&EC AC did.

I have dates 25/09/1964 for transfer to Auckland Flying School, then transfer 13/2/1965 to P S Locksley who presumably intended to get it flying again but never did.

[kevsmith]

Thanks to both Peters for the info on AXD.
Interesting that both the entries in my log book for the 17th and 19th of Feb 1965 were dual flights with the student's name P Lockley (note the slightly different name spelling) and the entries for both were for "Circuits".
So maybe he had already purchased it and that I do not recall.

[Dave Homewood]

Feb 17, 2016 22:11:55 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

Can anyone elaborate on the activities of one Harold Edwards.
He lived in the Wellington area at least from 1937 to 1947, and obviously had connections with the Wellington aero club.

Edwards bought Miles Whitney Straight ZK-AFG into NZ in mid-1937 and either leased or sold it to WAC.
When the Whitney was released back ito civilian life in 1946 after serving as NZ579, Edwards again took ownership of it.
However, he did not then keep it for long as it went to Airwork in Christchurch by 1947.

Who was Edwards? I am assuming he was a Wellington bisinessman who needed to get around the country a bit, and thus either flew the Whitney or arranged for a WAC pilot to fly him in that aircraft.

Any leads welcome.

The Miles Whitney Straight two-seater monoplane, which recently arrived at Rongotai. It is owned by Mr. Harold Edwards, of Wellington, and, when not in use by him, is available for use by the Wellington Aero Club.
The Dominion, 12 June 1937

[Peter Lewis]

Since writng the above in 2016 I have discovered that Edwards was a commecial building contractor.
His name is on the foundation stone of the waterfront hotel in Napier (and presumably elsewhere), so his activities were apparently wide-ranging.
Thus I assume that he used the Whitney for business transport.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, looking at Papers Past, the Harold Edwards Construction Company built many buildings around Wellington and the country in the 1930s. including three airport Administration blocks. They were for Rongotai Airport, Blenheim Airport and Nelson Airport.

Articles at the time of purchase confirm he bought the Whitney Straight for business travel. He'd flown a lot before then on airliners and flying himself in aero club machines.

BUSINESS PLANE BOUGHT.

WELLINGTON CONTRACTOR TAKES INITIATIVE. 

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night.

A Miles Whitney Straight aeroplane has been purchased by Harold Edwards, contractor, of Wellington, for use in his business as a builder. This is the first instance in New Zealand of a businessman purchasing his own 'plane with the intention of operating it himself. Edwards gained a flying license at the Wellington Aero Club. His 'plane will be used by the club for training and general purposes, the club maintaining it and paying Edwards a percentage of the fees earned by it. The 'plane is expected to arrive in New Zealand about the middle of April.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 February 1937

However...

AEROPLANE IN BUSINESS

MR. EDWARDS' NOT FIRST

BAY OF PLENTY PRECEDENT

The report that Mr. Harold Edwards, of Wellington, who has purchased an aeroplane for use in his business as a builder, is the first instance in New Zealand of a business man purchasing his own aeroplane with the intention of operating it himself is not correct, as a Bay of Plenty architect, Mr. H. L. D. West, now residing at Tauranga, several years ago purchased an aeroplane and used it for business purposes. Mr West previously resided in Opotiki and Whakatane and it was while residing in the latter town that he obtained his license in Auckland and flew to Opotiki and other places in the course of his work. It was chiefly owing to lack of suitable landing grounds in the Bay of Plenty that Mr. West was compelled to give up this mode of travel.

Poverty Bay Herald, 2 March 1937

[Dave Homewood]

Interesting, Harold Edwards' company did building work for J.R. McKenzie's department stores, but it seems by 1943 when Harold's father died, he was actually a director of J.R. McKenzie Ltd.

[Peter Lewis]

It is interesting to see that West was claimed to be the first NZ owener of an aircraft for business purposes.
His aircraft was the Comper Swift ZK-ACG, owned from April31 to July33.
Not, you would think, the ideal aircraft for business commuting.

[johnnyfalcon]

Perhaps West was misled by its name...