AIR TRANSPORT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 60, 11 March 1944, Page 6

AIR TRANSPORT

POST-WAR DEVELOPMENTS

VIEWS OF LORD KNOLLYS (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Friday. "Passenger fares on post-war aviation routes depend on so many imponderables that it is impossible to state what they are likely to be," said the* chairman of the British Overseas Airways Corporation, Viscount Knollys, to-day. Air transport of goods was inevitable, especially in the case of small goods of high value, which could bear its extra cost. Spare parts for industry would also go by air because of the time saving. However, the freight carried would not affect the present surface transport, which would still carry the same cargoes as it had in the past.

A committee under Lord Brabazon had been going into the question, and specifications were prepared for a full range suitable for all types of services. Transition from the production of combat aircraft to civil production would be done very easily. Civil production would not need the same huge volume of labour needed at present. The approximate proportion of present aircraft production needed had been the subject, so far as Britain was concerned, of a Ministerial statement. The proportion needed would not be very big. Lord Knollys hoped, however, .that it would be possible to use many of the highly experienced operational men of the air forces. Their experience would be very beneficial to civil aviation.

Mr. Campbell-Orde said that the monster Brabazon craft which was planned would be a little more than 107 tons in weight, with an absolute range of 5000 miles, and it was hoped its cruising speed would be 250 miles an hour. It would carry 50 passengers with sleeping accommodation.

Some of the present-day combat types would be adaptable after the war to civil needs, especially for high-speed freight service, said' Lord Knollys. The British Overseas Airways Corporation was operating a considerable service at present. Everything was being done under the direction of the Secretary of State for Air. In 1943 the routes covered by the corporation had a total mileage of more than 50,000. A total of 12.500,000 miles was flown using a personnel of about 15,000. A service to Sweden was being flown with Mosquitoes, and there would be some interesting to be told of some of the experiences on that route after the war.