Laying it On

Aerial Top-Dressing is Big Business

Loss of growth rate and deficiencies in the soil and its mineral and chemical content require, in the nature of things, that these be replaced.

This is especially applicable of course to farming, and in the higher and hilly country this replenishment problem is overcome easily by aerial top dressing.

Fieldair which got off the ground, so to speak, under the direction of Mr Lawson Field in 1949 is the well known Gisborne company operating aerial top-dressing planes. As well as operating in Gisborne, the company is also in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay and the Wairarapa with both light and heavy aircraft, and on the west coast of the North Island and in the South Island with heavy aircraft.

The planes, some of which are converted Dakotas, carrying up to five tons of superphosphate, spread the manure where required.

One of the Dakotas makes a run over Mr R. R. Graham's property off the Ngakaroa Road at the back of Ormond.

The five-ton capacity static loader is filled with manure by front-end loader. The hopper of the static loader is counterbalanced and, with electric operation, makes the loading of a plane a simple affair.

At the loading bay, watching a Dakota taking on super, is Fieldair company secretary Alan Lee.

The company also runs its own trucking service to bring the manure from the East Coast Farmers' Fertiliser Works storage depot at Mata-whero to the loading bay at Gisborne Airport.

Secretary Alan Lee, engineering manager Keith Brady and pilot Bruce Thompson discuss operation details before a run. Out of the total staff of 130 employed in the three companies, 40 are based in Gisborne. This figure includes mechanics, pilots, drivers, engineers and administration staff. The company operates with five Beavers and two Dakotas in this area.

Loading operator Sonny Turner and pilot Bruce Thompson prepare to refuel a plane before another flight.

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The Gisborne Photo News

No 205 : July 14, 1971

Laying it On