AIR RIVALRY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 71, 6 January 1936, Page 8

AIR RIVALRY

THE ATLANTIC SERVICE. FIVE NATIONS IN FIELD. So important to the world communications is regular air transport across the North Atlantic that already at least two years before it can be realised, it is one of the great questions of the day, and the held of intense national rivalries, writes Major C. C. Turner in the "Daily Telegraph." It is not unlikely that Germany may win a pioneer, and possibly important practical triumph by repeating next summer in the North Atlantic her experimental South Atlantic air service, with a ship stationed half-way across. It is reported that she has withdrawn the s.s. Westfalen from the South Atlantic, with the intention of an experimental summer service in the North Atlantic. German flying boats have been used on the South Atlantic service, but there appear to be serious difficulties in the way of the maintenance of a stationary ship in the north during the rough seasons. A Rich Reward. Great Britain, the United States, Fiance and Holland are occupied with the problem of air services across the North Atlantic. The reward of success will be rich, for the most important commercial communities in the world will rush to avail themselves of time-saving, which to them spells money-making. There is no doubt that rates could be very high without alarming the customer. Great Britain and the United States through their respective principal operating companies, Imperial Airways and Pan-American Airways, are working i.n harmony and will be a formidable rival to any private and nonGovernment supported enterprise that may seek to enter the field. On the other hand, were a sound private company, one of an international character, to be in the field first Avith a practical service nothing could prevent it from getting the trade; the commercial communities and interests would see to that. Formidable efforts are being made to bring to fruition plans which are independent of Imperial Airways and PanAmerican Airways, and there is developing a strenuous race to be first with the aircraft and first with the organisation. Flying-Boat Problem. The building of the flying boats, the training of the men and the building up of the organisation are the main problems. The big fleet of flying boats under construction for Imperial Airways, and to be delivered by the end of 1937, are needed chiefly for the accelerated and multiplied mail and passenger services between Great Britain and South Africa and Australia. It will be difficult to build in addition at the same time boats for the Atlantic. There is the additional problem of New Zealand, which is already debating whether she will work in with the United States of with Great Britain.

Definite steps have been taken towards the manufacture in England of one (possibly two) American flying boats, and although the works would liave to be organised, and the experts engaged, there is no reason to doubt that it'would be possible to produce these machines in some numbers by the end of 1937. The occasion will, in the next few months, bring hack the airship v. aeroplane controversy, for the new Zeppelin, shortly to be launched is to be flown across the North Atlantic. Already Commander 0. E. Rosendahl, commandant of the U.S. Lakehurst airship station, has pointed out that airships, which have an unbroken ••ecord for safety on the commercial operation side, offer a far sounder economical basis for regular Atlantic air transport than flying boats.