Tokoroa’s unused airfield has quickly become one of the most popular model aircraft flying locations.
Situated off Moffat Road, the airfield features a 120m by 60m grass runway and a 850m by 18m sealed landing strip.
While aircraft up to 5700kgs are permitted to use the runway, model flyers are increasingly gathering at the airfield to escape the congested city areas in return for safer open spaces.
Longtime Tokoroa drone enthusiast Bruce Simpson said the airfield is inundated with enquiries from model flyers.
“Tokoroa’s airfield regularly attracts significant numbers of people who wish to fly their radio-controlled (RC) models and drones at what is now the world’s most well-known model flying location,” he said.
“As well as regular weekend flying, there are also regular scheduled events that involve some of the largest and most expensive jet-powered models ever made.”
Simpson said the airfield has also been attracting significant interest from overseas commercial drone manufacturers and training schools looking to set up a New Zealand base.
