Hood Aerodrome
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Hood Aerodrome
| image =
| image-width =
| caption =
| IATA = MRO
| ICAO = NZMS
| pushpin_map = New Zealand North Island
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in North Island
| pushpin_label = MRO
| pushpin_label_position = right
| type = General aviation
| owner = [http://www.mstn.govt.nz Masterton District Council]
| operator = Masterton District Council
| city-served = Masterton, Carterton, Martinborough
| location = Masterton, New Zealand
| elevation-m = 111
| elevation-f = 364
| coordinates = {{coord|40|58|30|S|175|38|00|E|region:NZ-WGN_type:airport}}
| website = [http://hoodaerodrome.org.nz/ http://hoodaerodrome.org.nz/]
| metric-elev = y
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number = 06C/24C
| r1-length-m = 1250
| r1-length-f = 4101
| r1-surface = Asphalt
| r2-number = 06R/24L
| r2-length-m = 1060
| r2-length-f = 3478
| r2-surface = Grass
| r3-number = 06L/24R
| r3-length-m = 450
| r3-length-f = 1476
| r3-surface = Grass
| r4-number = 10/28
| r4-length-m = 1042
| r4-length-f = 3419
| r4-surface = Grass
| stat-year =
| stat1-header =
| stat1-data =
| stat2-header =
| stat2-data =
| footnotes =
}}
Hood Aerodrome {{airport codes|MRO|NZMS}} is an aerodrome, located in Masterton, New Zealand, it is located 1 NM South West of the town centre in the suburb of Solway. The aerodrome was named after George Hood, a pioneer Masterton aviator who died trying to make the first Trans-Tasman crossing in 1928.{{cite web|url=http://www.wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/news2003/030816c.html |title=Aviator's family plot restored |last=Bowling |first=Kerri |date=16 August 2003 |publisher=Wairarapa Times-Age |access-date=2009-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021151836/http://wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/news2003/030816c.html |archive-date=21 October 2008 |url-status=dead }} The aerodrome is used extensively for general aviation flights, and has also been used for commercial flights, Air New Zealand stopped serving the airport from 5 February 2014. Two new airlines have looked at re-instating a service to Auckland using larger aircraft but the runway will need to be lengthened to 1,400 m and widened to 30 m first before it can start.{{cite web|author=Walt Dickson |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/9340634/Runway-extension-needed-for-new-Masterton-service |title=Masterton Runway Extension Needed |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=2013-10-30 |access-date=2013-12-14}}
History
The Masterton Aerodrome was opened in 1931.
Historically, Hood Aerodrome has been served by South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand in 1962–1966 and two locally based carriers, Wairarapa Airlines which linked Masterton with Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Nelson and Christchurch from August 1981 to January 1997.{{cite web|url=http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/11/wairarapa-airlines-revisited.html|title=3rd Level New Zealand: Wairarapa Airlines Revisited|first=Steve|last=L|date=7 November 2010}} Then a new airline Air Wairarapa briefly flew to Auckland via Paraparumu in 2002.[http://wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/news2002/020116a.html Airline has no illusions – Wairarapa Times-Age]{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Between February 2009 and February 2014, Eagle Airways, a subsidiary of Air New Zealand Link flew to Auckland from Masterton. The flights were operated by 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D aircraft. In September 2013, Air New Zealand announced the airline would withdraw all services to Masterton from 5 February 2014, due to a lack of demand.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wairarapa-times-age/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503414&objectid=11119498 |title=Air NZ pulling out of Wairarapa |newspaper=Wairarapa Times Age |date=2013-09-04 |access-date=2013-12-14}}
The airport is working on a plan to reinstate an air service to Auckland with an invitation to the airlines underway.{{cite web|title=Moves afoot to revive hood|url=http://times-age.co.nz/moves-afoot-revive-hood/|work=Wairarapa Times|access-date=24 April 2017}}
Grass runway 06L/24R closed in November 2019 following an independent review of operations at the aerodrome.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-18|title=Council closes grass runway at Hood aerodrome|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/403571/council-closes-grass-runway-at-hood-aerodrome|access-date=2020-09-07|website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}
Work to widen the main runway and expand the apron is in the planning stage. The budget set for this project is $17 million.{{cite news |title=Aerodrome Masterplan |url=https://times-age.co.nz/aerodrome-masterplan-landowners-share-fear-of-flying-blind/ |access-date=28 June 2021 |work=Wairarapa Times}}
Air Chathams said in February 2024 that they are interested in serving Masterton to Auckland once the aerodrome upgrades are complete. {{cite news |last1=PARTRIDGE |first1=MARLEE |title=Air Chathams keen to land Masterton |url=https://times-age.co.nz/infrastructure/on-the-up-and-up-region-attracts-airlines-interest/ |access-date=28 February 2024 |work=Wairarapa Times-Age |date=27 February 2024 |language=en-NZ}}
Other Uses
The aerodrome is the home of New Zealand's 'Sports and Vintage Aviation Society', which has had a hangar on site since 1978.
Since 1999 Hood Aerodrome has held a biennial airshow, Wings over Wairarapa. The eleventh such event took place on 26–27 February 2021,https://www.wings.org.nz/, accessed December 2020. the final scheduled display on 28 February being cancelled due to a change in New Zealand's COVID-19 alert level.
The aerodrome land also hosts a purpose built dragstrip.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}
See also
{{Portal|Aviation|New Zealand}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://hoodaerodrome.org.nz/ Hood Aerodrome website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070625113519/http://www.svas.org.nz/ NZ Sport and Vintage Aviation Society website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071008070551/http://www.wairarapaaeroclub.co.nz/ Wairarapa Aero Club]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070811132109/http://www.library.mstn.govt.nz/history/FlyingintheWairarapa.html Hood Aerodrome and early flying in the Wairarapa]
- [http://www.mastertonmotorplex.co.nz/ Masterton motorplex drag racing site]
{{Airports in New Zealand}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Airports in New Zealand
Category:Buildings and structures in the Wairarapa
Category:Transport buildings and structures in the Wellington Region