TRANSPORT FOR ORCHESTRA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29009, 25 September 1959, Page 12

TRANSPORT FOR ORCHESTRA

Seven Planes To Be Used At Week-End

Seven planes will be ’involved in bringing the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra to Christchurch for a concert tomorrow night, and taking it away to Australia on Sunday. One plane, an Argonaut under charter to the orchestra, will make two flights to Melbourne to take the 125 members of the group.

A Skymaster freighter will be used to carry the orchestra's instruments and baggage. Five other planes will carry the orchestra's players to Christchurch from Dunedin. While the freighter has been in New Zealand it has filled in some of its spare time by carrying cargo for National Airways also under charter. The plane made a special flight from Auckland to Christchurch oh Wednesday afternoon with freight and returned to Auckland yesterday morning with another full load. It is due back in Christchurch on orchestra business at 5 p.m. tomorrow and will be bound for Australia at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Argonaut Due on Sunday

The Argonaut (the pressurised. Canadian-built version of the DC-4 passenger airliner) is due to arrive in Christchurch from Auckland on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday it will take members of the orchestra to Melbourne and after one flight will return immediately to pick up members still left in Christchurch. Tasman Empire Airways is handling arrangements for the Argonaut in New Zealand and N.A.C. is caring for the freighter. Five N.A.C. flights will be necessary to bring the players in the orchestra to Christchurch from Dunedin on Saturday.

Four flights will be speciallychartered DC-3's due to arrive at 9 a.m., 9.30 a.m., 12.40 p.m. and 1.10 pm. They will carry 108 persons. The remaining 17 members of the orchestra are due to reach Christchurch aboard a scheduled flight at 10.45 a.m.