Wairarapa Aero Club - Solway

history

The Wairarapa Aero Club- a short history

The Wairarapa Aero Club was founded in 1929 when a public meeting was held to discuss the benefits and future of aviation in the region. 

On 16 September 1929, the first Aero Club meeting saw the formation of the club, the adoption of the constitution, and rules and election of officers. The first president was Mr W.L. Free. Of note is that the club was recently gifted a cigarette case with the logo of the club, bearing the initials W.L.F.

Initial work resulted in the purchase of land on 29 July 1930 on South Road. This has subsequently become Masterton’s Hood Aerodrome. During the formative years the club and airfield played host to Jean Batten and Captains Kingsford Smith and Ulm and the famous “Southern Cross” aircraft. 

On 14 March 1931 at the New Zealand Club pageant, the Aerodrome was officially named Hood Aerodrome after Captain George Hood and Lieutenant Moncrieff who sadly were unsuccessful in their trans-Tasman crossing effort.

During the first ten years of the club’s existence, 109 pilots gained their “A” licence; the modern Private Pilot Licence, with Mr J Kingsnorth undertaking the first student solo on 28 May 1930.

World War II saw the cessation of civil flying and the club aircraft brought into military service. Hood Aerodrome became a base for the Royal New Zealand Air Force with the famous 14 Squadron and their P-40 Kittyhawks, operating from the very airfield we do now!

After the war, the club resumed flying activities as it had previously while also engaging in some commercial passenger flying. At this time, Hood Aerodrome became the focal point for the commencement of agricultural flying trials- this important part of aviation still being evident today.

On 31 March 1951 the Aero Club committee noted that mounting financial pressures meant the club was unsustainable and they elected to cease flying operations.

In August 1956, the club once again resumed flying operations and these have continued to this day. Unfortunately, financial constraints over the years saw the sale of the Aerodrome to the Masterton District Council with the club retaining ownership of its present footprint - totalling just over 1 Hectare.

(from notes provided by the Club Patron, Mr Hughan McKay)