16 - 12-92 Zoning bar to 20-11-92 Wigra IR Force bases at either Wigram or Woodbourne may be a closed and their operations transferred in a Defence drive to find savings of about $7 million. A new review of the RNZAF's bases structure has been ordered this week as the Air Force tries to live within its reduced funding levels, imposed in the 1991 Budget as part of a three-year spending cutback. It is understood the RNZAF has been told to achieve savings by closing one of its four bases Ohakea, Auckland, Woodbourne, or wigram. Although the Air Force declined to comment officially on the review, an RNZAF source indicated that Closing o By DAVE WILSON The closing of Wigram air base is & Virtual certainty, says the Mayor of Christchurch, Ms Vicki Buck. She said she was shocked and disappointed to learn that the decision was all but certain when she met the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal John Hosie, yesterday. Ms Buck has urged the RNZAF to consider Christchurch Airport as an alternative home for Wigram's fly- m air By DAVE WILSON under the policy of shifting resources from "the tail to the teeth" of the service, Ohakea and Auckland were protected. That brought the question of a base closing down to Woodbourne or Wigram. No time frame has been given for the base study, although the savings are needed before the 1994 financial year. Decisions made at Defence Headquarters in Wellington last week led to an immediate 9 per cent reduction in flying hours for all onerational aircraft at Wigram f Wigran ing training. wing. After long meeting with Air Vice Marshal Hosie she said: "From the way they're talking the only thing that will be left is the museum." Christchurch interests should explore every possibie option to keep the air force base. "The consortium of civil aviation operators that wants to share the airfield with the RNZAF in effect has only a few days to come up with base again under threat Wigram has already lost some of its functions since the 1991 Budget cut. Navigator training is being moved to Australia, the navigation training squadron at Wigram disbanded, and its three Friendship aircraft put up for sale. Personnel numbers have been cut from about 900 last year to 790. On-going studies on the possible transfer of flying training from Wigram to another base have identified Ohakea as a likely alternative. "If flying training was moved from wigram, it would be more cost-effective to move it to Ohakea, rather than Woodbourne," an Air Force spokeswoman, Flight Lieutenant Diana Hales, said yesterday. Wigram's future has been the subject of speculation since last year's Budget cuts, when Defence was ordered io tina savines of $112.5 million in 1991, and a further $37.5 million in 1992 and 1993. An Air Force decision to shift flying training from Wigram was announced after the 1991 Budget. Earlier reports bad recommended against flying training being shifted to Woodbourne or Ohakea. This year Air Force officials began a round of private talks with civilian aviation industry interests keen to lease part of Wigram's 247ha site. Those talks are as yet unresolved, although Auckland and some Christchurch aviation operators are keen to use part of the base. Under the 1991 plan, the shift of 12 - 12-92 a base a something to save the place. "Even then, the clear message was that whatever plan was devised should be on the basis of a standalone enterprise, with no air force presence at Wigram." The Chief of Air Staff requested the meeting at Wigram with Ms Buck and representatives of the Canterbury Development Corporation and the Business Development Board, which are co-ordinating the virtual ce civil consortium's bid to save Wig ram. The Opposition member of Parliament for Yaidhurst, Mrs Margaret Austin, said she was furious that as the MP in whose electorate Wigram sat, she was not invited to the meeting, even though she flew to Christchurch on the same aircraft as Air Vice Marshal Hosie. "I'm really furious. I have taken a great deal of interest in Wigram's flying training from Christchurch would save the RNZAF €4.8 million a year, but take $13 million a year out of the Canterbury economy. Two ground training schools at the base would remain because it would cost $IO million to shift them. The Air Force yesterday declined to specify the savings it was seeking, nor would it comment on the new review of its bases. News media questions were passed to the office of the Minister of Defence, Mr Cooper. Mr Cooper also declined to answer, issuing a brief statement that a number of reviews were taking place and no decisions had yet been made. Shelley Bay at Wellington, an administrative support base, is sub- rtainty future and I'm furious that he could come to Christchurch to quite rightly brief the Mayor. but completely ignore the local MP." Mrs Austin said the RNZAF knew of her interest in the maiter bui she had been shut out from discussions, even though she had sought similar briefing. I am now reluctantly reachin; conclusion that the decision to se wigram has already bees ject to another study and not included in the four base options. Woodbourne is the Air Force's main engineering training and aircraft repair and maintenance base. As well as flying training, wigram is the training school for all RNZAF officers, it has two technical training schools, is the base for the 3 Squadron helicopter detachment, and is the headquarters for the RNZAF Support Group. The RNZAF Museum at Wigram is protected against any decision to close the base. Should flying training move from Wigram, it would spell the longterm death knell for the RNZAF's first base, which began flying training in 1917. ays Buck made. regardless of the curre study into Wigram and Woodbourn which is supposed in decide whic of the bases will go "The question now is whether the whole thing is politically motivated It saddens me, but ! now have no confidence in the bases review study because I believe they have already made the decision." She will now seek a fornia eeting. Wigram site use By DAVE WILSON Town planning regulations may prevent civil flying operations at Wigram if the base is closed by the RNZAF. Although a consortium of civil aviation groups wants to use Wigram in conjunction with the air force, the site is not zoned for a civilian airfield. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal John Hosie, told the Mayor, Ms Vicki Buck, on Friday that any civilian development at the base should be planned on the basis of the air force not being there. The air force is evaluating whether Wigram or Woodbourne should close to save costs. Ms Buck said that, quite apart from the city's wish to retain Wigram as an RNZAF base, there could be problems for other users if the air force left. "Under the present city plan the underlying zone is R2, which is largely rural. The land is designated for air force purposes, but there is no automatic rignt to operate it as an airfield if the air force goes." The city plan is due to begin a review process next July. which time the RNZAF's decision on whether wigram or Woodbourne will close will be known Meanwhile, the member of Parliament for Yaldhurst, Mrs Margaret Austin, said the air force was taking no account of the human cost in shifting wig ram families to Woodbourne, which was the expected outcome of the bases review. "There will be a human cost in this too. It's not just about saving money. You cannot just shift families from an urban environment to a rural setting. where there are not the same range of : amenities, and expect them to carry on as if nothing has changed." Ms Buck said she was also concerned at the human cost of such a move. "Blenheim is a nice place, but it's pretty small. People acustomed to living in Christchurch would find it hard to settle in a place without some of the facilities, like the university and polytechnic. "There is also the question of jobs. A number of families at Wigram depend on two incomes, and there are no assurances being made to the Wigram people