bical TOR tantalising RNZAF Base Wigram thought they had cheated the axe. The rumour machine, fuelled by some authoritative nods from the men in the know, indicated that post-1991 Budget plans to close the historic air 1-12-92 base within three years had been stymied. Some sophisticated high-level paper shuffling and whispered deals about renting part of Wigram to civilian operators gave rise to the belief that these measures might satisty the RNZAF's headlong drive to cut Costs. They have not, and any maining illusions about Wigram's chances of escaping a total shutdown have been dispelled by the parameters of a new review of air force real estate. Either Wigram or Woodbourne is to be closed, as a cost-saving measure The choice will come down to which base's operations are the cheapest to shift, and the outcome should be known early next costings in a 1989 RNZAF bases Woodbourne will be the survivor Senior air force sources say the figures may have changed since the trend favouring Woodbourne is the same The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal John Hosie, during visit to Wigram offered his personnel there an unvarnished glimpse of the economic realities Zealand Defence Force. In a perfect world, Wigram the birthplace of the RNZAF and revered within the service such - would continue for ever as the flying training base for air force pilots. has been its function since 1917. But for Deofficials, it is far from a perfect world. In the post-Cold era, in a small country struggling out of a recession, cost effectiveness outweighs traditions and esprit de corps. "Reviews we have already undertaken show we can smaller and still remain effective," Air Vice Marshal Hosie says. He was appointed Chief of a see in September inheriting "outputs" "total quality management" have become the buzzwords that drive "Essentially we are looking at consolidation of the air force and we are asking, are we spread too thinly on the ground across our bases? cost-effective to maintain all these bases?" servants the Government, the defence forces try to reflect the wishes of the politicians; and political decisions cut $112.5 million from the defence vote last year and a further $37.5 million in this and the next financial years. A carefully maincained "sinking personnel policy and strategic redundancies have progressively cut manpower in the past two years. 800 outlook fo The likelihood that the ANZAF will sever its connection with Wigram - and remove $20 million a year from the Canterbury economy - grows stronger. DAVE WILSON, defence reporter for "The Press", reviews the pressures to close the air base where air force pilots have been trained since 1917. to dip beneath the 4000 mark within year or so through normal attrition. The focus on Wigram's and Woodbourne's cost-effectiveness is in line with last year's philosophical shift in the displacement of our forces. The Secretary of Defence, Mr Gerald Hensley, has described the restructuring of military bases as shifting resources "from the tail to the teeth". The militears historian realestate years historical real-estate baggage, with the RNZAF closing its stores base at Te Rapa near Hamilton and indicating a cynical look at its Shelley Bay administration complex. Under the new defence plan for New Zealand, the forces' "teeth" have been marshalled into a general triangie in the North Island, based on Aucklane Ohakea and Waiouru. Mr Hensley is on the record as saying that any bases outside this triangle will increasingly have to justify their existence. Wigram and Woodbourne each Strong case for their continued existence. Wigram, the historical home of the RNZAF, occupies 247ha and has trained military pilots since 1917. Technical and officer training is also carried there. Wigram is the base for the Iroquois helicopter detachment, a backbone of South Island search and rescue work. It is also the headquarters for the air force's support group activities and the site of the RNZAF Museum, the latter guaranteed of its home irrespective of the final decision on the base's future. Woodbourne, 8km from Blenheim, covers 190ha and is the RNZAF's support base with special emphasis aircraft maintenance and servicing. It also provides the RNZAF's major engineering training function and is home to about 800 personnel Woodbourne absorbed further technical training functions from Hobsonville earlier this year. Like Wigram, most of Woodbourne's buildings were built in the 1940s as part of the force's wartime expansion. On the face of it, the two bases have buildings of equal age, equal personnel numbers and are generally comparable in size and function - they train and support the sharp end of the service. Under the Defence Plan, the into "outputs RNZAF has grouped its activities * the equipment and "hilitise it are mictarta moot tha has to attain certain performance largets, all of them within rigidly controlled defence vote of $1.4 billion. The New Zealand Defence Force has $1.4 billion worth of equipment, of which the RNZAF'S aircraft have a book value of $408 million but a replacement cost oi $2 billion. "It's not a case of toys for the boys" Air Vice Marshal Hosie says of the publicity the RNZAF attracts whenever it replaces its aircraft. "When we replace something we question everything, beginning with the meaning of life." Replacements, such as the $266 million deal to buy 18 Aermacchi jet trainers, are slotted into the air force's long-term planning. Everything is planned as far ahead as 15 years. The air force is now in the midst air strategic plan, a process that has writing its long-term also involved an in-depth look at every suppert trade, from cook to avionics technician, to ensure value is being had from every defence dollar. The vigilance has extended to other activities, with some notable successes. Servicing of Hercules transport aircraft, contracted to Air New Zealand several years ago at a very competitive price, has been taken back and re-established at Woodbourne, where RNZAF personnel can do the work more cheaply. In this atmosphere, the future Wigram or Woodbourne is viewed in the context of how these bases fit into the dollarconscious air force of the 90s. "It's how they fit into the whole air force, whether they are costeffective and if not, how we make what we do more cost effective," Air Vice Marshal Hosie says. In 1989, after the Quigley defence review, which recommended closing some bases, the air force conducted its own realestate study, Project Whenua. The costings covered every conceivable option, including the costs of relocating Woodbourne or Wigram to some other place. At that time the cost of relocating Woodbourne was more than $102 million. The cost of relocating Wigram was about $77 million. Woodbourne's relocation costs will have increased further since then, with more engineering facilities since added to service the Hercules transports. Air Vice Marshal Hosie will not be drawn into the costings detato hut it is cionifiront that in am Air Vice Marshal Hosie have been added to Woodbourne's role, including an engine servicing line for the new Macchi jets, while functions such as the Friendship flight and its navigation training, have been moved from Wigram. While regional interests may push for their air force bases to stay - in Wigram's case its closing would take more than $20 million from the Canterbury economy - there is also a political dimension to the RNZAF's decision. Wigram is in the Labour-held Yaldhurst electorate; Woodbourne sits in National territory held by Mr Doug Kidd. While the air force is attempting to distance itself from this sensitivity, any final service decision base rationalisation will be put to the Government for its approval. personal feelings on which base should stay are not relevant to the equation. However, the decision will mean an economic boost for either Christchurch or Bienneim; whichever wins the vote will inherit people and spending power from the other's base. The RNZAF has already decided that Wigram's flying training operations will go to Ohakea, if they have to shift from Christchurch. On Wigram's special place in RNZAF lore, Air Vice Marshal Hosie says he is prepared to make the hard decision to close it, if that is what the review supports. "I don't have to like it, but I am prepared to live with it, if I have io." And then. more to himself, he adds: "I get the feeling Sir Henry (Wigram) is looking over my