Aeroplanes - Maintenance and repair

Date: [ca 1940s-1950s]

By: Anderson, Cecil R, active 1940s; Ashburton Museum

Reference: PAColl-9442

Description: Photographs of Mount Ruapheu erupting, Pohutu Geyser, and aircraft, taken ca 1950s by Cecil R Anderson of Ashburton Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 8 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 16 Dec 1999

From: National Airways Corporation (NAC) 50th anniversary oral history project, Stages I and II

By: Johnston, Joseph Wilton, 1914-2001

Reference: OHInt-0439-04

Description: Wilt Johnson was born in Invercargill in 1914. Gives details of his family background. Talks about his father and grandfather being partners in J Johnston and Sons which built lime works, freezing works and steam locomotives. Talks about his education at Waihopai Primary School and Southland Boys High School. Describes being taken for a ride in a Gypsy Moth. Discusses working unpaid for the Southland Aero Club for a year, being put on the payroll and being taught to fly by John Smith, who established the Aero Club. Describes becoming Assistant Engineer for Union Airways in Dunedin in 1936. Recalls that DH86 aircraft were imported in huge boxes and assembled. Discusses Union Airways staff members Len Mangham and Doug Patterson and others. Describes getting his Aircraft Maintenance Engineers' Licence. Refers to the Union Steam Ship Company and handling passengers. Discusses the effect of World War II on Union Airways and the takeover of the DH86 aicraft by the RNZAF. Talks about the formation of NAC and staff coming from the Air Force. Recalls becoming engineer in charge of maintenance in Palmerston North in 1944. Discusses aeroplanes including the Lodestar, Electra, DC3, Fokker Friendship and Vickers Viscount. Explains the Fail Safe and Safe Life philosophies (the American and British philosophies) of building aircraft in connection with aircraft purchase. Talks about General Managers Maurice Clarke, Captain J J Busch and Doug Patterson. Describes being Maintenance Officer at Christhcurch from 1952 until his retirement in 1979. Comments on Chief Engineer Arthur Smaile and industrial management. Describes several months in Holland and Seattle working with Fokker and constructing Boeing 737 aircraft. Discusses operational differences between Air New Zealand and NAC and feelings about their merger. Talks about getting into avionics (aircraft instrumentation). Discusses a number of aeroplane crashes including the Erebus crash in 1979. Gives views on Justice Mahon and Morrie Davis, General Manager of Air New Zealand. Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008637-OHC-008639; OHLC-004403-OHLC-004405 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 folder(s) accompanying material. 1 interview(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2700; accompanying material OHA-2700/1, OHA-2700/2. Photo of Wilt Johnston and car in 1937 and photo of Wilt Johnston about 1970 Search dates: 1914 - 1999

Date: 5, 11, 22 Mar 1996 - 05 Mar 1996 - 22 Mar 1996

From: Ngahinepouri oral history project

By: O'Regan, Leonard David, 1921-

Reference: OHInt-0635/14

Description: Leonard David O'Regan born Frankton 1921. Describes how family came from Buckland 1919 and looked at 520 acres of swamp. Talks about programme for developing hill country and mentions problem of rabbits and rabbit industry. Refers to Reg Trimble, rabbit inspector for district. Describes Rukuhia Railway Station and recalls trips as a child. Recalls Napier earthquake. Describes Ngahinepouri school and school days and refers to teachers, Mr Fletcher, Miss Tudehope and Miss Anderson. Mentions lunch time games - Tuppenny runs, marbles and hop scotch. Gives description of family home and own house after marriage, house water supply etc. Backgrounds the planting of 20,000 pine trees per year, harvesting of first timber in 1958 and development of mill run by family partnership. Refers to Fred McWhannell, authority on Eucalypts. Recalls World War II service in Air Force going into engineering workshop, later with 40 Squadron getting advanced training in Nelson and going overseas to field maintenance workshops in New Hebrides and Bouganville. Mentions Rabaul operation. Talks about end of war when government formed National Airways Corporation with reference to Dakotas, and later integration into N A C. Mentions offer of good job with Pam Am and decision to return to farming. Describes changes in Ngahinepouri and improvements in technology. Describes social activities, recreation, courtship, marriage and honeymoon. Refers to family's first transport, a model T light truck and first car, a Whippet tourer, later, 1935 New Pontiac; Hillman in 1950 and Austin seven. Access Contact - see oral history librarian Interviewer(s) - Vicki Jones Venue - Ngahinepouri Accompanying material - Post Script (notes made by Mr O'Regan shortly after taping of this interview) at back of abstract Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-009723-009729 Quantity: 7 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 7 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3222.

Date: 6 Jul 2004 - 06 Jul 2004

From: MOTAT Volunteers oral history project

By: McKelvey, Norman, 1931-

Reference: OHInt-0899-03

Description: Interview with Norman McKelvey, born in 1931. Talks about becoming an aircraft engineering apprentice at De Havillands in 1947 and joining the Air Force in 1949 for his compulsory military service. Mentions undertaking an air frame course, being posted to 42 Squardon at Ohakea, and his work there and at other bases. Comments on moving to Tasman Empire Airlines (TEAL) later and also serving in the Territorial Air Force. Refers to working on Sunderland flying boats, and being sent to Samoa to work for Polynesian Airlines for a period. Mentions working on DC-6 and Electra aircraft. Refers to working as leader of a contract team servicing DC-8 aircraft for Air New Zealand. Discusses how staff were trained to work on new aircraft, and recalls involvement with making modifications to DC-8s. Mentions a trip to the United States to visit an aircraft seat factory where he took over a project for DC-10 seats. Recalls his involvement with fitting out Boeing 747 aircraft. Mentions taking redundancy from Air New Zealand in 1982 and growing carnations for export. Talks about "retiring" to MOTAT in 1995 where he became involved in the restoration of a Solent flying boat. Talks about the state of the Motions Road site at the time and his feelings about working with MOTAT manager Grant Kirby. Discusses the types of people needed for restoration work and the other aircraft restoration groups. Comments on the restoration work done on the Sunderland and other aircraft, and on keeping records of the restoration of each aircraft. Mentions a period of tension between Bomber Command and Fleet Air Arm volunteers at one stage and the cramped hangar facilities. Reflects that the Museum has improved since 1998. Interviewer(s) - Bill Rayner Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-016565 - OHC-016567 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 2.19 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5957. Search dates: 1931 - 1995 - 2004

Date: 2010

From: Winter, Mark, 1958- : Digital cartoons published in the Southland Times and other papers

Reference: DCDL-0016098

Description: A small fat plane representing 'MPs travel perks' rests on the tarmac. The title reads 'Final hoarding call? (wordplay 'hoarding' and 'boarding') and further text reads 'The plane is ready for departure... unless... of course it's a Qantas flight, then any number of possibilities could occur'. Refers to the news that the PM says MP travel entitlements are to be abolished but MPs elected before 1990 will keep the perk - follows a demand by the public for transparency. Refers also to a recent spate of incidents that have led Qantas to suspend its A380 fleet until it is confident of the safety of the superjumbos following the mid-air explosion which forced one of its aircraft to make an emergency landing in Singapore. Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2002

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

By: Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: DX-006-083

Description: Pieces of a crashed Air New Zealand plane continue to be found. Quantity: 1 digital image(s).

Date: 2002

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

By: Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: DX-006-075

Description: The Air New Zealand logo on the tail of one of its planes has slipped due to old age and poor maintenance. Quantity: 1 digital image(s).

Date: 2002

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

By: Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: DX-006-080

Description: Air New Zealand loses a piece of its wing on a passenger plane while in the air. Quantity: 1 digital image(s).

Date: 2002

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

By: Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: DX-006-079

Description: Air New Zealand loses a piece of its wing on a passenger plane while in the air. Quantity: 1 digital image(s).

Date: 2010

From: Tremain, Garrick, 1941- :[Digital cartoons published in the Otago Daily Times]

Reference: DCDL-0016297

Description: A man in a pub is reading a paper with a headline that says 'Qantas to take Rolls Royce to court'. His companion is unimpressed and says 'Today every second failed developer and financial charlatan takes a Rolls Royce to court! Context; Qantas Airways is in discussions with engine maker Rolls-Royce following the business and operational ramifications of an uncontained failure in a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine, which forced a Qantas Airbus A380 to make an emergency landing on 4 November. (Reuters 2 December 2010) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2008

From: Hawkey, Allan Charles, 1941- :[Digital cartoons published in the Waikato Times].

Reference: DCDL-0007332

Description: Shows a pilot and co-pilot walking out to their Qantas plane. Several men are examining different parts of the aeroplane. The pilot is pleased with the thoroughness of the check that the maintenance people are doing but his co-pilot points out that they are passengers. Qantas has recently experienced several flight incidents that have resulted in diversions. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2010

From: Winter, Mark, 1958- : Digital cartoons published in the Southland Times and other papers

Reference: DCDL-0016044

Description: A Qantas aeroplane tail fries in a pan over a fire. Text reads 'The flying pan'. (wordplay on common Asian difficulty with pronunciation of 'fr' so that 'frying pan' becomes 'flying pan'). Refers to the news that a Qantas jetliner made an emergency landing on the afternoon of 4 November 2010 (NZT) in Singapore with 459 people aboard, after one of its four engines shut down over western Indonesia and following witness reports of a blast that sent debris hurtling to the ground. As a result Qantas has suspended all A380 planes until the company is confident all safety requirements have been met on the aircraft. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2002

From: Hawkey, Allan Charles, 1941- :[Digital cartoons published in the Waikato Times].

Reference: DX-014-033

Description: Extended Title - For the third time in less than 18 months an Air NZ jet loses a wing part. Quantity: 1 digital image(s).