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The Gisborne Photo News

 

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Jet Age Comes To Gisborne

A milestone in Gisborne's air communications was reached last month when the first jet-prop aircraft to land at Darton Field touched down on the new £230,000 sealed runway.

The aircraft, a twin-engine N.A.C. Fokker Friendship, was on a scheduled passenger flight from Auckland, and was the largest craft to have used the airport. However this honour was soon superseded when a four-engine Lockheed Hercules transporter visited the city on a demonstration flight three days later.

A crowd of about 500 gathered at the airport to witness the Friendship's visit.

An added advantage provided by the new runway are lighting facilities, enabling commercial aircraft to land and take off during the hours of darkness.

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Gisborne's jet-age airport, as seen recently when two jet-prop aircraft, an N.A.C. Friendship (right) and a Hercules freighter taxied onto the concrete apron in front of the terminal building and a large crowd of spectators.

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The crew of the first Friendship flight included two Gisborne personnel. From left: Captain Jock McLernon, (pilot), Gisborne, Hostess Leonora Jackson, Gisborne, Captain Kippenberger (Civil Aviation Administration), and First Officer Roger Grey (co-pilot).

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An historic moment for Gisborne's aerodrome. The first jet-prop aircraft to land at the airport dips down across Poverty Bay as it prepares to land on the sealed runway. In the background is Young Nick's Head.

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Spectators lined the rail to see the Friendship

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Passengers, including a party of Gisborne businessmen who flew to Wellington on a complimentary flight, boarding the plane.

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A member of the N.A.C. engineering staff of Wellington, Roy Tiffari, operating a new high-pressure re-fuelling pump.

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Re-fueller Jerry Hofman fills the Friendship's tanks

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Among the passengers on the first Friendship flight from Gisborne were, from left: Messrs I. Driscoll, N.A.C. Auckland branch manager, C. Bell, Gisborne branch manager, D. Patterson (Wellington), N.A.C. general manager, M. Lynch, chairman Gisborne airport committee, G. A. Nicholls (Gisborne), director of N.A.C. and T.E.A.L.

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The first Friendship climbing away from Darton Field after taking off for Wellington.

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A Friendship loading at Darton Field prior to taking off on a night flight to Auckland