Wigram Aerodrome

Wigram Aerodrome is located in the Christchurch suburb of Sockburn, later to be split-suburb of Wigram and now split again as Wigram Skies. It was gifted by Sir Henry Wigram for the Canterbury (NZ) Aviation Company on 20 September 1916 and originally named Sockburn Airport. In 1923 that was then gifted to the Crown as a Royal New Zealand Air Force base. Charles Kingsford Smith made the first Trans-Tasman flight from Sydney to Wigram on 10 September 1928. Sir Henry Wigram continued to support the base, gifting a further 81 acres of land in 1932. But aircraft got bigger and needed longer and eventually tarsealed runways. The Crown added to the original size of the airfield and that addition was land belonging to Ngāi Tahu. That just includes where the Control Tower currently still stands. RNZAF Wigram was home to the Central Flying School, Pilot Training Squadron, Navigation Training and recruit training. In 1953 RNZAF Wigram was the scene of the worst RNZAF crash in New Zealand when two RNZAF De Havilland Devon collided coming in to land and seven men were killed. In the 1990s, the government wanted to rationalise their military property and a decision was made to either close Wigram or RNZAF Woodbourne near Blenheim. Despite having just been renovated at great expense, it was decide to close Wigram. The aircraft and squadrons moved to RNZAF Ohakea and recruit training went to Woodbourne. The closing parade was held on 14 September 1995. Wigram Aerodrome maintained its aviation character, with several aviation businesses using its facilities. These included Pionair Private Aircharter, Christchurch Parachute School and Christchurch Flying School. Three Air Training Corps units, and a Cadet Corps unit also presently occupy buildings within the aerodrome.