Biggest Boeing At Harewood

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30809, 22 July 1965, Page 18

Biggest Boeing At Harewood

The new Boeing 338 C, of which Qantas will by early next year have six, is 17ft longer and 70,0001 b heavier than the 13 Boeings 1388 which the airline already uses on its world routes. The City of Townsville was piloted by Captain C. G. Fox, who was co-pilot on the nonstop delivery flight from San Francisco to Sydney in March —a journey which took 14 hours 35 minutes. It was Captain Fox’s first flight to Christchurch. He said that within 12 months Christchurch would receive more 33C versions of the Boeing on trans-Tasman operations. With him as co-pilot was Captain A. W. Stapleton, who

has flown the 1388 Boeings into Christchurch, on several occasions. According to Captain Fox the big Boeing, because of technical improvements, needs a shorter landing run than the 1388 version. “For example it can land on either your 8014 ft or 5700 ft runways without any trouble. The smaller 1388 version can only land on the larger run-

way. Of course the 1388 is a faster aeroplane,” he said. He added that the larger plane was used yesterday because all others were in service or receiving maintenance. In spite of its larger size the City of Townsville retains the same seating capacity as the other smaller version—2o first-class and 84 economy class.

The extra space provides for an additional five tons and a half of cargo on each flight. ■ The aircraft is 152 ft Ilin long, has a wingspan of 145 ft 9in, - and has a maximum take-off weight of 148 tons. This larger Boeing is used ■ by the airline on its Kangaroo ■ route from Sydney to London ■ by way of Asia and Europe. I It left for Sydney at 7.30 p.m.