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Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 213, 9 September 1935, Page 7

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EMPIRE AIRWAYS. PREPARATION FOR 1937 FLYING BOAT SERVICE. TASK OF ORGANISATION. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. Steadily proceeding with its plans for the all-air service from England to New Zealand in 1937, Imperial Airways has under construction a type of seaplano that will approximate to that required for the new service, and its Australian and New Zealand representative, Mr. A. E. Rudder, of Sydney, who has completed a short visit to the Dominion in connection with the great project, gav.T. the "Star" correspondent details of the machine. "I have seen under jiartial construction," said Mr. Rudder, "huge land and sea 'planes that will embody all tho latest technical development in powev and capacity, comfort and safety. Luxurious accommodation is provided for as many as 00 passengers, though on the New Zealand route, which may involve night flying, the passenger accommodation will not be so extensive owing to the necessity of providing sleeping berths and other essentials for comfort on a long trip, such as lounga, smoking room, promenade, and dining and other services." Flying Boats Safer. "Yes, it appears reasonably certain that the flying boat will prove the most appropriate class of aircraft for operating Empire services," said Mr. Rudder, in reply to a question. "There appears to be no physical reason why they should not be used over the entire route from London to Sydney. They certainly must be used on the transTasman link, which is an integral part of the Empire scheme. It is generally conceded that it is relatively safer to use flying boats over land than land 'planes over water, and obviously the section of the route between Calcutta and Sydney is especially appropriate for flying boats, as at least four-fifths is over water." Another advantage of the flying boat mentioned by the Imperial Airways representative was that it is independent to a great extent of the "permissions" necessary for flying over foreign countries. ' "There is no doubt that the service will be in full operation by the middle or the end of 1937," continued Mr. Rudder, who added that probably the middle of the year was more likely. But such a service, once started, would have to be absolutely reliable and safe, in line with the policy of Imperial Airways, which during the past year had flown millions of miles without a serious accident or loss of life. The practical tribute to its record of safety is that Lloyd's rate of insurance against all risks is the same as for surface transport, namely, 1/6 per 24-hour day per £1000, against 0/ charged to others. Unified Control Desired.

"The immediate danger, however, is the lack of understanding of the difficulties and magnitude of the task of establishing the Empire service which will link up New Zealand with the complete system. Success cannot be achieved unless some system of general control is adopted. The service cannot - be divided. into sections operated independently. There must be one general policy, particularly in regard to the nature and quality of the fleets employed, so that they may be interchangeable and operate when necessary as one fleet. We must at all costs avoid what I might term a break of gauge, the bugbear of any form of transportation. "There is another consideration, that of the staggering rapidity in the advances in aviation. The intention is to build fleets to operate extensive servicee, but it must first be proved that any new type produced will operate according to anticipation, and will have a useful life. For that reason it is necessary, where new types are concerned, that a prototype should be built and tested under all forms of operational conditions. We are laying the foundation of a great Empire development, and cannot risk any form of failure by rushing things. In an empire service which operates over many countries, the objective should not be the rushing through of mails in the shortest possible time, regardless of other considerations." Enlarging the Staff. Some interesting figures showing what a great extension of staff is needed to bring in the new services were given by Mr. Rudder, who stressed the importance of perfection, not only in organisation, but in personnel. "Competent pilots and staff to the standard which Imperial Airways employs are not overnumerous," he said, "and with the employment of vastly increased fleets, both in numbers and size, it will not be an easy taek to secure and train sufficient men of the capacity required. But my experience suggests that the necessity produces the man. Imperial Airways anticipates that at least 150 new captains and chief officers will be needed to man the extended fleet, exclusive of the additional wireless operators, stewards, and a great increase in the ground staff. ' Immense Machines. "The immense machines now being built will require more extensive landing facilities, while-the flying boats will also need efficient harbourage. Vast sums have already been spent in the provision of landing grounds, hangars, workshops, fuelling depots, forts in the desert, wireless and meteorological stations, night flying facilities, such a* lighthouses, and so on, because Imperial Airways is to-day operating a route distance of over 20,000 miles, flying every day 14,000 miles. This is more than the distance from New Zealand to London." As for the annual mileage, Mr. Rudder suggested that the most interesting way of putting it for the newspaper reader would be to explain that it equals about nine round trips to the moon. "Xine services a week leave London for Empire destinations," he ooncluded. "Twiceweekly services are operated over Empire, routes, and it is a practical certainty that shortly there will be a biweekly service to Australia."