MINUTES FROM 10th November 2008
Read by Phil Patterson, Kerry Conner moved the minutes be accepted as a true and correct record, seconded Robert Thurston

MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES
• Robert Thurston to follow up on the removal of Alan McGuiness’ cars.
• Jeff Sayer has determined the telephone pole by Craig Stobb’s hanger is no longer required and is  able to be buried.
• Kerry is to ask Tony Heyward to formally notify SVAS of the changes to the mowing procedures if  these are to be implemented immediately.
• Contact persons names, gate numbering, softly, softly approach to council all deferred to general  business.

CORRESPONDENCE
• Alan Flynn has had a 1000 litre water tank donated from Paul Walker (Civil defence). All the  equipment to get this tank operational as a first response grass fire fighting appliance for the  aerodrome as approx $1500.00 (Alan is still waiting for full confirmation of this and the equipment  required and will forward to Kerry on receipt). It was decided to keep this appliance more for  fighting possible grass fires and that it be kept private rather than public to reduce the amount of  red tape. More work it to be carried out regarding this matter.
• Mike Bennett sent an e-mail asking if the HUG would be raising the issue of a lack of advanced  notification to user’s of the development work being carried out. It was decided that notification  with sufficient prior notice was impossible due to the nature of the work being carried out and the  problems encountered with the work.
• Mike Bennett also asked if the HUG were going to organise a “User’s BBQ”. Kerry is to follow this up  with Andrew Denniston.

MINUTES FROM COUNCIL MEETING
• The Council Meeting held earlier on the 8th meant no formal minutes had been written, but Kerry  outlined the main points covered.

Matters Arising from the Minutes
• Tony Heyward made the comment during the meeting that he “has received no applications to build a  hanger on the aerodrome in the last 12 months.” Alan Flynn is to put a note on the website asking  for expressions of interest in building a hanger on the aerodrome. The group will then pass these  expressions onto the council.
• Kerry is to add David Hopman to the e-mailing list

GENERAL BUSINESS
• The Met Service hopes to have the Automatic Weather Station installed in Masterton by February 2009.  Once this weather station is operational, the Munro System is to be removed. The general feeling  from the group is that this would be a safety concern due to the high numbers of user’s that rely on  this System for information. For $50 / month cost to the council is seems removal of this system for  the number of people using it would be adverse to safety.
o The Wairarapa Ruahine Aero Club, Ace Aviation and Wellington Skydive will be asked to send a letter  to the Council voicing their concern as to the removal of this system.
o Kerry Conner is to make enquires with the Met Service as to the possible donation of the system to  the HUG. Tom Williams will also make enquires through his contacts if Kerry does not get any  response.

• The BP Fuel pump is to be moved towards the existing Jet A1 fuel pump, with a hard stand 20m in  width on the runway side and grass on the hanger side. If this occurs it will remain in this  position for at least 5 years. This move will be completed when the council and ‘The Vintage  Aviator’ have signed an agreement.

• Phil Patterson and Gene de Marco are to ask the approval of the following people for their names to be forwarded to Emergency Services as a contact person on the aerodrome.
o Kerry Conner  (Day)
o Sara Randle  (Day and Night)
o David Cretchley (Day)
o Tony Laing  (Day)
o Mac McCarthy (Night)
o Robert Thurston (Day)
o Jeff Sayer  (Police Liaison)
o Gene de Marco (Weekends)

• Tom Williams pointed out that Phil Patterson is the liaison person between SVAS and users for the  airshow. If user’s have any concerns they are to contact Phil to discuss.

• Next HUG meeting is to be held at the Wairarapa Ruahine Aero Club Rooms, 12th January 2009 at 1900  hours

Meeting closed 2033 hours

Your representatives on the Hood Users Group have been meeting monthly to discuss a number of issues that have surfaced in regards to the operations of Hood Aerodrome.

A core group of your representatives have recently met with, Wes Ten Hove, CEO Masterton District Council and Counsellor David Holmes where they have passed on some of the concerns that have been raised by the users and they have come up with a number of suggestions in seeing that Hood aerodrome is operated to its full potential without significant impact to the users.

While we must accept that the Masterton District Council will make the final decisions on the overall management, any upgrades, and redevelopments and how expenditure is to be appropriated, we believe, as representatives of the aerodrome we also have an important role.

Hood Aerodrome is the home to a variety of flying activities and organisations and we are extremely fortunate to have a number professional people we can call on for advice. One of our specific aims as representatives is to foster a good relationship with Counsellors and Officials of the Masterton District Council and to give them confidence in the information put forward. This will then assist them in making informed decisions about aerodrome.

Discussions that have already taken place.

1. Repositioning of the new fuel pumps
2. Sewerage and water to existing and new hangar sites
3. Concern and impact on implementing an MBZ for Masterton.
4. Promotion of the airfield
5. Future development plans
6. Impact (including financial) on users from new airline
7. Construction timelines for taxiway construction – resealing runway.

Representatives are meeting with Council Officials on Thursday 19th June 2008. There are a number of promotional ideas that will be discussed with no financial impact on the users, but to highlight the aerodrome as a facility for people to visit and participate in the activities the aerodrome has to offer.

If there are aerodrome matters you would like to discuss, please contact one of your Hood User Group representatives.

Phil Patterson biggles@infogen.net.nz
Trevor McKeown tgmck@xtra.co.nz
Kerry Conner fly@ace-aviation.co.nz
Gene DeMarco antiqueair@aol.com
Alan Flynn alan@aircam.co.nz
Bill Ditmer toadhill@infogen.net.nz
Tony Van Dyk tvandyk@i4free.co.nz
Hughan McKay Hughan@xtra.co.nz
Robert Thurston redbaron@contact.net.nz
Paul Buchanan paul_buchanan@xtra.co.nz
Tom Williams tom-williams@clear.net.nz

In 1939, the Royal New Zealand Air Force impressed all the aero club aircraft for pilot training. 1940 saw the Royal New Zealand Air Force occupy Hood Aerodrome and more land was bought by the government to increase the airfield’s size, and 3 runways were constructed. By April 1942, No. 14 Squadron had reformed at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, using American built Harvard trainers and P-40 Kittyhawk fighters. Later in 1943, 14 Squadron left Masterton to fight the Japanese in the South Pacific.

At the completion of World War 2 in 1945, aircraft returned to Hood and the aero club began flying again using Tiger Moths, Proctors and Auster aircraft.

In 1949, Hood Aerodrome played an early part in the trials for aerial topdressing using RNZAF Avenger aircraft. Early pioneering firms such as Air Contracts soon began topdressing, using Tiger Moths, with Hood Aerodrome as their base. Trials were also conducted in 1954 using a Bristol Freighter dropping 6 tonnes of fertilizer. Aerial topdressing still makes up a large portion of the commercial aircraft fleet at Hood Aerodrome, with Super Air and Wanganui Aero Work firms both using Hood as one of their bases.

Between 1960 and 1966, South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand (SPANZ) was operated by Masterton’s Rex Daniell along with Bob Anderson. SPANZ flew DC-3 Viewmasters to service smaller cities and towns around New Zealand (including Masterton).

From 1978, Hood Aerodrome became the home of New Zealand’s Sports and Vintage Aviation Society. The Society built a large hangar at Hood and more recently acquired the neighbouring Metservice glider hangar. The Society has also developed the ‘George Hood Museum of Aviation’ on site and holds the biennial Wings Over Wairarapa airshow to support the venture.

The main runway (06/24) was upgraded in March 1986 with a sealed all weather surface allowing greater utilization by heavier aircraft including air ambulances and commuter airlines, including Wairarapa Airlines and Air Wairarapa.

Today, Hood Aerodrome is the home of numerous period and replica aircraft from the two World Wars, with the growth of the Vintage Aviator collection and the Old Stick and Rudder’s collection, along with Ace Aviation, a flight school specializing in tail dragger aircraft instruction. With other aviation users such as Sky Diving, Homebuilt Aircraft and Microlight organizations, Gliding, Radio Controlled Model Aircraft, and various privately owned GA aircraft, Hood Aerodrome is well placed for a healthy future.