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spindoctor
1st Apr 2003, 02:57
From the "New Zealand Herald” this morning

Whenuapai mystery
Unannounced construction work closes airport overnight

Herald staff reports
Published April1, 2003, 6:55 AM NZST

Aucklands Whenuapai Airport, the city's only remaining Airbase, was closed early today after construction vehicles apparently dug up large portions of the runway.

At about 6 a.m., the view from the top of the Auckland Skytower showed a series
of large, X-shaped portions of concrete carved out of the runway's center.

Large, illuminated "X" signs marked either end of the runway.

Earlier this morning, several backhoes, large trucks carrying floodlights and
generators and other equipment moved along the north-to-south runway of the
airport. Many of the vehicles had yellow emergency lights flashing.

A police squad car blocked the access road to Whenuapai. An officer
said the airport and houses nearby were closed, and no pedestrian or vehicle
traffic was being allowed in. He would not comment on the activity.

A night operations supervisor at the Civil Aviation Authority said she was not notified of any airport closing.

As of 6 a.m., representatives of the city Department of Aviation and the CAA had
made no announcement about the work.

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spindoctor
1st Apr 2003, 08:15
Well...yes it was a joke, but only about Whenuapai (at the moment)

But in the good old US of A would they have done it.

Yes your favorite microsoft airport Meigs Feild has been closed in the middle of the night by a cowardly mayor who used the excuse of "homeland security" despite a promise to keep it open for another 25 years!

Some 16 aircraft remain on the field.:(

Captain Gidday
1st Apr 2003, 09:42
The Good Ol' USA have quite a few methods of closing airports in use at present, it seems. :D.
Ah, Spindoctor, you should realise that 04/01 [as they would notate the date] brings out the same behaviour in the US as in our part of the world. No need for Microsoft to rush out an update for the Flt Sim, I shouldn't think. However, the lawsuit from Mayor Daley will be on its way to you shortly. Make sure you apply to have it transferred to an NZ court. The defamation laws are less draconian.

spindoctor
1st Apr 2003, 10:47
Giday Giday

I wish it were so, but it isn't the 1st in the states yet!

This is no joke, check out www.suntimes.com/output/news/31meigs.html some of the other papers or CNN etc

Captain Gidday
1st Apr 2003, 18:43
Well, I read the Chicago paper electronically before posting but still felt sure, in the home of democracy, that it must have been a wind up, given the time of year. Apparently not. Amazing!
I think I'll take a Bex and go off for a good lie down :=