The Machines of Canterbury Aero Club in 1937

[Dave Homewood]

THE MACHINES OF THE CANTERBURY AERO CLUB.—A photograph taken at Wigram aerodrome. In the foreground are the new Miles Hawk two-seat training monoplane (on right) and a Miles Whitney Straight cabin monoplane. At back are two of the club’s three de Havilland Moths and a Monospar cabin monoplane.
The Press, 15 September 1937

[davidd]

Yes, Wigram was the only official airfield available for aeroplanes operating from Christchurch at this time (Harewood had only been talked about as the possible new, civil-only field). However it is recalled by very few today that, should Wigram be under fog at the time, and the Brighton beach was in the clear, that the DH 86 Express airlines would land and depart from there!! Truly! The Canterbury Aero Club also operated as the local agent for Union Airways, and pushed out a small set of wheeled steps to the "airliners" on arrival. and lead out the departing passengers. When the "airliners" had to land on the beach (captain's discretion), the Civil Aviation Branch of the Air Department had to be advised of these irregular goings on as a matter of course - they all appear on a very long list of "civil aircraft accidents" compiled by the Air Department after the war.