AIR HISTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 50, 28 February 1940, Page 8

AIR HISTORY.

COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS.

NO TRANS-TASMAN HAZARDS.

The fact , that the firet definite attempt to use air transport from a commercial point of view was in 1910, was recalled by Captain J. W. Burgess, commander of the flying boat Aotearoa, during an address at to-day's luncheon of the Auckland Junior Chamber of Commerce. Mr. R. S. WoolUams presided over an attendance of 80.

It was Grahame White, who wae still alive aud now interested in torpedo •boat*, who had flown seven miles with a load of air mail on August 10. 1910, said Captain Burgess. The following year saw a service between London and Windsor, but the greatest impetus was given by the Great War. which had developed aviation eo quickly. To the Air Ministry must he given the credit of assisting the development of air .routes. In 1919 an air mail service was started between London and Parie.

Captain Burgess then dealt with the interesting; points of the air route from England to New Zealand. This was, he said, a review of the historical spots of Great Britain and other countries.

There wag no reason now, Captain Burgess went on, why the trane-Taeman flight could not <be. commenced regularly. There were no hazards, <but much of the experimental flights of men like the late Kingsford Smith had contributed gteatly to the knowledge now in hand. With modern navigation aids, safety was assured.

"If it were not for the war it would ■be only a matter of time before we "were operating. right up to Vancouver," Captain Burgese concluded, in pointing out .that it was yet undecided as to when the trans-Tasman service would <be operating regularly.