AMBULANCE AEROPLANES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22245, 9 November 1937, Page 7

AMBULANCE AEROPLANES

TO THE EDITOR OR THE PRESS. Sir—ln your issue of Friday, October* 29, a news item of vital importance appeared, recording a non-stop flight from Auckland to Wigram aerodrome by the Auckland ambulance aeroplane. This news so interested me that I inquired into the possibilities of such a service from here, and was disappointed to find that Christchurch has no such facilities. Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, however, all have machines which can be converted into air ambulances in a few minutes. Wellington and Dunedin, I understand, bought their own. Auckland. with the help of the St. John Ambulance Association, had theirs rrjven to them. Why cannot something Ee done for Canterbury? Canterbury is the leading light in things aeronautical and the Aero Club is doing good work, but it seems to be lacking in this respect. What is the matter with Canterbury and the club? —Yours, etc.. PROGRESS. November 4. 1937.

[Commenting on this letter. Mr P. R. Climie. secretary of the Canterbury Aero Club, said: “Experience has shown the club that the demand for ambulance aeroplanes is very limited. If. however, the club was called on to supply such an aeroplane, it has a stretcher, and two cabin machines which could be easily converted to h"’d if ” The Auckland Aero Club, Mr Climie said, did not have an aeroplane which was used only as an ambulance.]