Decision On Aircraft Replacement Soon

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30677, 17 February 1965, Page 3

Decision On Aircraft Replacement Soon

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, February 16.

In about three months, the National Airways Corporation hopes to be in a position to make a firm decision on the type of aircraft it will purchase to replace the Vickers Viscounts on main trunk routes.

It has already been decided that the speed requirements of modern air travel call for a pure-jet aircraft instead of the intermediate prop-jet types now used by N.A.C. Tomorrow officials of the corporation will meet sales representatives of the Boeing Corporation of America. Under discussion will be the Boeing short haul 737 airliner which could be in production in time to be considered. The general manager of the corporation (Mr D. A. Patterson) said tonight about 196768 the corporation was going to exhaust its capacity to handle main trunk traffic.

With the greater development of secondary airports and the need to transfer Fokker Friendship aircraft to service them rather than the four main airports, more aircraft would be needed. “We can either put pure jets into service on the main trunk or obtain more Viscounts,” Mr Patterson said. ' “The latter would by then ’ be obsolete, however, al- ■ though they are not due for replacement until 1972-73. <

“As a result we are more likely to operate both pure jets and Viscounts on the trunk route until the time comes for Viscount replacement.”

Mr Patterson said the corporation had had meetings with representatives of. the Douglas Aircraft Corporation on the DC9, the British Aircraft Corporation on Ithe BAC 111, and the Fokker Corporation on the F2B Fellowship.