Aviation View | Volume 1, Issue 3

243 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 known fact, it meant New Zealanders quickly recognised the potential of aviation as a new technology. We have since made extensive use of it in our country, which has brought about both national and international benefits. New Zealand has manufactured over a thousand high-quality aircraft, and New Zealand aviation products and services are found on all continents around the world- including Antarctica. New Zealand is a long, thin, and mountainous country with relatively few large population centers. The topography does not encourage fast rail or elaborate motorway systems, so aviation was quickly seen as a way of bringing communities together. Many saw a wide range of potential uses for aviation, especially through aerial topdressing trials during the 1930’s. The whole industry was boosted following the return of pilots, mechanics, and engineers at the close of World War ll. Flying in the late 1940’s, especially in general aviation, was dangerous. As a result, the New Zealand Aerial Work Operators’ Association (now the New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association or NZAAA) was established in 1949 to encourage the safe development of the agricultural aviation industry. Early aviators recognised the potential of aviation for other sectors, and so the Aviation Industry Association, now known as Aviation New Zealand, was set up in 1950. While the association’s coverage was much broader, its prime focus remained on improved safety. A number of firsts quickly followed. • Sir Henry (Harry) Wigley made aviation history in September 1955, when he made a world-first snow landing in a plane with modified retractable skis that he had developed and perfected. • The first helicopter was imported in September 1956. It appeared on the New Zealand register in March 1957. AV I AT ION NEW ZEALAND • The first International Agricultural Aviation Show was held in Palmerston North in November 1956. Featuring 60 fixed-wing aircraft, it “…aimed to show the flexibility and beneficial effects of aviation to the New Zealand economy”. • HRH Prince Philip viewed a special agricultural aviation display on 17 December 1956, which put New Zealand’s aviation expertise firmly on the map. 2. How many staff run Aviation New Zealand? What are their main priorities, and does Aviation New Zealand have any major changes planned for the near or long-term future? Today, Aviation New Zealand is comprised of six divisions. They are the NZAAA, New Zealand Helicopter Association (NZHA), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles of New Zealand (UAVNZ), Aviation Engineering Association of New Zealand