PACIFIC AIR SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24632, 31 July 1945, Page 3

PACIFIC AIR SERVICE

PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS PLANS MORE FREQUENT TRIPS AT LOWER FARES* (P.A.) WELLINGTON. July 30. Mr Harold Gatty, who is visiting Wellington to inform the Government regarding Pan American Airways’ plans for a resumption of the Pacific air service, said in an interview that the resumed service would be faster and progressively more frequent, and fares would be lower than first-class steamship rates. Flying boats would be replaced by land aircraft. Pan American would soon take delivery of several fleets of new air- liners, all land aircraft. Mr Gatty said he knew of no major American company which proposed trans-ocean flying with other than land aircraft. It was the unanimous conclusion from war-time experience that they were superior in efficiency and economy, except in special circumstances. There were ground facilities now up and dowrf and across the Pacific. The machines to be used in'the South Pacific service would be the DC7’s, or perhaps the Lockheed Constellations, but, as it was unlikely that DC7’s would be available until the middle of next year, smaller four-engined machines would be used in the meantime—possibly the DC4’s. The DC4’s had been standard jvar transport in all theatres. They were no} bombers converted to civil use, but civil transport diverted to war uses. They would carry 40, passengers, mail, and express freight, cruising about 200 miles an hour and making stops of only an hour or so for refuelling and a brief rest. New Aircraft They would be replaced by larger machines next year. The company had ordered 26 DC7's and 20 Constellations for its services. The DC7’s, with four engines totalling 3000 horse-power, would cruise at 300 miles an hour, and in Pacific conditions would carry about 100 passengers, plus mail, baggage, and express freight. The Constellation would carry about 60 passengers and would cruise at 340 miles an hour. Much larger aircraft were on order by the company for the Atlantic service. These were Consolidated-Vultee lapd-based clippers with an all-up weight of 320,0001b, and six engines of 5000 horse-power. They could carry 200 passengers, 15,0001b of baggage, mdil, etc., and fly at 30,000 ft, above the storm levels, crossing from New York to London in slightly more than nine hours. The standard fare from California to New Zealand would be 292 dollars, plus any Government tax. This was equal to 3Jd a mile. Luxury travel was obtainable for extra rates. Mr Gatty forecast that the use of large, economical aircraft would have the effect of reducing air mail rates. SERVICE THIS YEAR POSSIBLE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 30. “We are lopeful of starting a service between Sm Francisco and Auckland, via Honolulu, Canton Island, and Suva, before the end of the year,” said ,Mr Harold Gatty, representative of Pan American Airways, on reaching Auckland from Wellington by air to-dry. “Boeing clippers will continue for some time to 11/ between San Francisco and Honolulu, but landplanes will fly from Honolulu down to here,” said Mr Gatty. When operations were in full swing, four return services a week between San Francisco and Suva, with one branching off to Auckland and the other three to Sydney, were contemplated.