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First Load, Wally Harding,
Waiouru March 1950 |
Last Load, Richmond Harding, Taihape,
30 Sept 2004 |
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In 1949 Wally Harding, a pioneer Waiouru farmer converted his Tiger Moth
ZK-ARO (pictured above at Waiouru) to a top dresser to assist in the development of his non fertile high country station.
For years farming leaders and agricultural scientists had been aware that the hills of New Zealand badly lacked phosphate, but a suitable method of application was a major obstacle to overcome.
Wally Harding's aerial work applications thus became immediately accepted, and led to the establishment of his company, Wanganui Aero Work Ltd, in November 1950. The company was then and remains today, one of the foremost in pioneering aerial topdressing methods earning a world wide reputation for New Zealand.
As a result of Wally Harding's hard work and ingenuity, thousands of acres of previously unusable New Zealand hill country were converted to highly productive land. With its base in Wanganui, the company expanded quickly with five new aircraft added in the first four years, and had the distinction of owning the first Fletcher aircraft to come off the
New Zealand production line.
Identifying the ideal aircraft for topdressing purposes has seen the
company move from the original Tiger Moths, through to the early
Fletchers. Unhappy with the climb performance of the original 225HP
Fletchers, Wanganui Aero Work Ltd used a variety of other aircraft
including CAC Ceres, Cessna 180/185's, Piper Pawnees & Cubs, De
Havilland Beaver and Cessna Agwagons.
The company then standardised on the 400HP Fletcher FU24 when it became
available in 1970, quietly converting it's fleet of 300HP to 400HP.
By 1976 its fixed wing fleet had expanded to 10 Fletcher aircraft,
& in the same year, 2 Hiller helicopters were purchased.
Over the next few years, a fleet of 10 helicopters was built up, and Wanganui Aero Work Ltd continues today to be one of the few companies in the southern hemisphere operating both fixed wing
& helicopter fleets.
The Pacific Aerospace Corporation Cresco 750 came into being in 1980 and became a world-beater in the
early 90's when it was re-engineered with the famous PT6-34
Pratt &
Whitney 750HP power plant. Since that time the company has moved to
standardising with this outstanding aircraft designed and built here in
New Zealand by
Pacific Aerospace Corporation in Hamilton.
With 9 Cresco's, Aero Work has the largest fleet in the world, supplemented by
2 Fletcher 400's and 4 Helicopters.
Wally's five sons all helped build up the company in its early years,
and, in the 1960's Wanganui Air Pageant, Wally and his five sons took
part in a formation flight, setting a world record for such a fear. In
1972, Richmond Harding, Wally's second eldest son took over as Managing
Director.
Wanganui Aero Work Ltd remained as a family business up until October
2004 when Ravensdown Fertiliser Cooperative bought the company, however, Richmond
still flies and manages the company and today works together with his wife Heather, sons Bruce (Chief
Fixed-Wing pilot)
and David (GIS Technician). |
