SAFE AIR READY FOR CHATHAMS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31584, 23 January 1968, Page 22

SAFE AIR READY FOR CHATHAMS

(New Zealand Press Association) BLENHEIM, January 22. The Safe Air Bristol Freighter which flies to the Chathams tomorrow could be opening up a new era for the islands and the people, the Resident Commissioner (Mr D. Reid) said today.

Mr Reid visited Safe Air’s beadquarters in Blenheim this morning to meet the crew which will be making the first flight and to talk to executives of the company. Mr Reid flew from the Chatham Islands on Friday with the last R.N.Z.A.F. flight. The R.N.Z.A.F. has conducted an air service to the Chatham Islands for the last nine years, first with Sunderland flyingboats, latterly with Bristol Freighters. He will return next Friday with a flight which has been chartered by the Department of Civil Aviation.

Tomorrow’s flight will be solely a Safe Air affair, although some civil aviation officers are expected to go also. It is to be a proving flight, with some heavy equipment also being delivered. Captain C. G. Fantham and Captain K. A. Battie, flight operations manager and chief pilot respectively, will fly the aircraft. They have with them engineering and operations staff. The aircraft will leave Wellington at 8 a.m. Flying time to the Chathams is estimated at three hours.