ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING SWARDS ON AIRSTRIPS ON FARMS IN THE AUCKLAND PROVINCE

Abstract

In 1955-56, 303 aircraft made I,183,794 flights from over 8000 airstrips to drop 404,933 tons of fertiliser, 4401 tons of fencing materials and rabbit poison, as well as 374,s I1 gallons of spray. In the early days of aerial farming light aircraft were successfully flown from paddocks or airstrips where little grading had been done-oua& atten&givei+to~fe*-a-hard= wearing sward. More recently with the use of newer types of aircraft lifting heavier loads, permanent airstrips have been constructed, some at considerable expense and in many cases to serve a number of neighbouring farmers. Up to 1000 tons of fertiliser may be flown off an airstrip in a year.