Parafield Airport’s mounted Cessna plane to be removed, repaired

PARAFIELD Airport’s iconic mounted plane will be removed from its vantage point overlooking Main North Rd and relocated to a nearby heritage centre.

The mounted Cessna 310 at the Parafield Airport. Picture: Shaun Hollis

PARAFIELD Airport’s iconic mounted plane will be removed from its vantage point overlooking Main North Rd and relocated to a nearby heritage centre.

The Cessna 310 aeroplane VH-KRZ, which was donated to Parafield Airport about 22 years ago, has deteriorated in recent years and needs maintenance to fix surface corrosion and paintwork.

The Northern Weekly Messenger understands recent inspections revealed the minor faults, but evaluators believe there is no risk of the aircraft falling from its perch, near the intersection of Main North and Kings roads.

Parafield Airport manager Barrie Rogers last week confirmed the plane would be relocated “in coming months”.

“The aircraft will be assessed and cleaned up before it is placed on permanent exhibition at the heritage centre,” Mr Rogers said.

The new Parafield Aviation Heritage Centre on Kings Rd, which opened last month in the old Parafield Airport fire station building, is a short distance from the plane’s current location.

After repairs the small aircraft will be remounted on a pole in public viewing.

The plane is on permanent loan from Mrs Coraine Sopru and is a memorial to her late husband Erno Sopru.

Mr Rogers said Mr Sopru was killed when the Cessna 310H he was flying crashed near Emu Junc­tion in regional South Australia on June 9, 1988.

“Coraine has kept close ties with Parafield Airport for more than 30 years,” Mr Rogers said.

“Thanks to the kind support of Coraine, VH-KRZ will be relocated.

“(It will) continue to commemorate the life of Erno and other pilots.”

Parafield Airport functioned as Adelaide’s main aerodrome for 28 years from 1927-55.

The heritage centre showcases airport memorabilia and historical accounts from the state’s original aviation pioneers.