Early History
The airline was established and started operations in 1920 as New Zealand Aero Transport Company, at Timaru by Rodolph Lysaght Wigley. Wigley, who in 1906 had driven the first motor car to Mount Cook, used 6 ex-RAF Avro 504 and 3 Airco DH.9s for sightseeing flights and any other work available.
In 1921, Wigley pioneered flights to Mount Cook and from Invercargill to Auckland. The NZ Aero Transport Company had less than three successful years before winding up its activities due to declining public interest in aviation.
In the 1930s, Wigley formed Queenstown - Mount Cook Airway in conjunction with his son, Harry, later to become Sir Henry Wigley. Sir Henry remained the Managing Director of the airline until 1979 and Chairman until his death in 1980. The company operated charter flights around the Otago Lakes, Milford Sound and Mount Cook regions, until it was suspended by World War II.
Read more about this topic: Mount Cook Airline
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