FREIGHT CARRIED BY AIRCRAFT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25246, 26 July 1947, Page 2

FREIGHT CARRIED BY AIRCRAFT

QUICK DELIVERY OF PERISHABLE GOODS MOTOR-VAN LOADED WITH GROCERIES (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 25. Carrying 16 passengers and a light motor-van laden with groceries, a Bristol freighter aircraft, the Merchant Venturer, made a flight from Whenuapai to Kaikohe in 50 minutes this morning. The return flight about an hour-and-half later was completed in less time. Setting down the freighter in the comparatively small airfield at Kaikohe was . accomplished without difficulty, although the wheels skidded badly on the wet turf. A large number of people watched the unusual spectacle of a small motorvan being driven out of the nose of, the aircraft. The van then delivered' its contents in Kaikohe township and returned to be loaded with fruit, including oranges, passion fruit and grape fruit, from orchards at Kerikeri. At the request of the chairman of the Town Board, a representative of the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Mr M. Elliott) gave details of the aircraft and its demonstration tour of the Commonwealth. The van was then driven back inside the freighter, which took off for Whenuapai shortly afterwards. • The purpose of the flight was to show the utility of the aircraft for air freight purposes. Among the passengers were three officers of the Railways Department who were observing the aircraft before it starts two« or three days of freight-carrying between the North and South Islands next week.