ROYAL FLIGHT ARRANGEMENTS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27224, 16 December 1953, Page 12

ROYAL FLIGHT ARRANGEMENTS

PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFETY SPECIAL TRAVEL LANES (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 15. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will fly along “purple airways” when the Royal party travels by air during the coming tour of New Zealand. Authority to declare purple airways and prohibit other aircraft from the area is contained in regulations gazetted last week. Aircraft will also be prohibited from flying low over the Gothic, any of the Royal cars or trains, and open-air public gatherings. The regulations declaring purple airways are similar to precautions taken in Britain when the Queen travels by aircraft. The Royal airlines will be slightly more than 11 miles wide and will extend from ground or sea level to 12.000 ft. Airports being used by Royal flight aircraft will be temporarily out of bounds for a radius of about 17 miles.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force is in charge of the arrangements for the Royal flights. Today the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Group Captain T. F. Gill) said that the Civil Aviation Branch of the Air Department and the National Airways Corporation had co-operated in planning the movements of the Royal flight.

Besides the specially-fitted DC3 which the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will use, there will be at least seven other aircraft in the flight. The R.N.Z.A.F. is supplying another DC3 and a Devon, similar to a Heron. Two National Airways Corporation DC3’s will carry newsmen, photographers, and radio commentators Baggage, policemen, and police cars will travel in two Air Force Bristol freighters. For the journey from Rotorua to Gisborne the National Airways Corporation is lending a Heron. Air Force aircraft also will be used as needed for maintenance crews and equipment.

R.N.Z.A.F. crews have been training to the highest standard for the last two months. All the men have flown in and out of the airports the Queen will use. At the same time the Civil Aviation Branch has been checking aerodrome facilities and navigation aids, surveying routes the Royal aircraft will use, and installing extra landing aids at some of the fields. RENTING OF VANTAGE POINTS £5O BEING OFFERED IN AUCKLAND (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 15. A room with a view of Auckland’s civic welcome to the Queen in front of the Town Hall on December 23, will bring up to £5O in rent for one day. Use of windows overlooking Queen street for the Royal drive will draw £25 from eager applicants. Today, there were reported to be plenty of buyers, but few sellers of window space. Most shops and offices have reserved upstairs windows for staff and families, but offers are being made by other persons with money in hand. Some business men believe syndicates have made offers all along Queen street, aiming to hire out vantage points at higher prices. VISITORS’ BOOK NOT BEING USED (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 14. It is announced from Government House that information has been received from Buckingham Palace that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are not making use of a visitors’ book on the occasion of their Commonwealth tour.