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Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 47, 25 February 1935, Page 7

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AIR MAIL SERVICES.

British Delegation Reaches

Sydney.

NEW ZEALAND INTERESTS

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 0.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. Five members of the joint delegation from the British Post Office and Air Ministry arrived in Sydney on Saturday. The -party consists of Mr. Francis Bertram, Deputy-Director of Civil Aviation; Mr. Thomas Guinness, Parliamentary private secretary to Sir Phillip Sassoon, Under-Secretary for Air; and Brigadier-General Sir Frederic Williamson, Director of Postal Services. Sir Edward Campbell, M.P. (Con., Bi.oniley), formerly Parliamentary private secretary to the British Postmaster-General, remained at Singapore, but is coming on by air.

The New Zealand Postmaster-General, Mr. Adam Hamilton, and the DirectorGeneral of the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr. G. McNamara, had an informal meeting with the 'delegation. Conversations with thorn will take place to-day.

In an interview Mr. Bertram said it was hoped to have a bi-weekly air mail service between London and Australia, the distance between London and Sydney being covered in seven days. It was proposed to charge lJd per half-ounce for all first-class mail matter as a flat rate.

No air mail surcharge would be made, nor would it be necessary to label letters "air mail" for that would be their natural route.

"We are not here to dictate," said Mr. Bertram. "We are here to explain the details of our proposals to the Australian and New Zealand authorities for their approval and to receive suggestions."

OPERATION IN 1937?

DISCUSSIONS EN ROUTE. LONDON, February 24. The "Sunday Observer" Singapore correspondent states that in an interview there, Sir Edward Campbell stated that discussions in India, Malaya and elsewhere regarding faster air mail services had /convinced the joint delegation that there was a possibility of the Air Ministry's scheme being in operation in 1937. He did not think they need materially change Sir Philip Sassoon's scheme for faster schedules, and more frequent, services, all firstclass mail matter for Empire countries to be carried bv air.

"We were satisfied with the progress of the discussions in India, where we did more in 10 days than we could have accomplished in a year by correspondence," continued Sir Edward. "We were most impressed by the tremendous airmindedness permeating India and the Far East. We believe that flying boats ran be used on some sections of the route."

AERIAL "PICKABACK."

British Invention to Solve

Atlantic Problem

ANSWER TO THE ZEPPELIN.

LONDON, Febrhary 24

The "Star" says a pickaback aeroplane may be Imperial Airways' solution of the problem of spanning the Atlantic with a regular service. At present the difficulty is to get a machine possessing a sufficient range off the ground with a full load of petrol.

It is hoped to overcome the difficulty by the introduction of a huge machine with special climbing powers on which a four-cngined seaplane capable of flying at a sliced of ISO miles an hour while carrying 10 passengers, baggage and mail, can be borne aloft to a height of several thousand feet. The pilot will then release mechanism enabling the seaplane to start across the Atlantic under the most favourable circumstances. Major R. H. Mayo, an Imperial Airways engineer, devised the, plan, and Messrs. Shortt Brothers are building an experimental "pickaback" and seaplane. Test flights may be possible this summer.

The Air Ministry is financing the seaplane, and if it is successful it will be Imperial Airways' answer to the Zeppelin.

WILEY POST FAILS.

Forced Down on Stratosphere

Flight

MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT

DOS ANGELES, February 24.

Mr". Wiley Post's attempted stratosphere flight to New York failed on Friday. The airman was forced down in the desert 125 miles from Los Angeles.

Mr. Post left the Burbank Airport at 6 a.m. clad in an "oxygen pressure suit" and wearing an aluminium helmet in order to withstand the conditions at a high altitude. He dropped his landing gear as he took off but the forced landing on the body of the aeroplane was effected with a minimum of damage. The flyer hopes to repair his craft for another attempt.