Spanish wings on show

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 36

Spanish wings on show

By

LES BLOXHAM, travel editor

The capabilities of an ultraeconomic Spanish-built aircraft were demonstrated to senior officers of the R.N.Z.A.F. and staff of Mount Cook Airlines and Ansett New Zealand during flights over the South Island last week. The sales support team believe their twin turbo-prop aircraft, the CASA CN-235, would be the ideal replacement for Mount Cook’s

ageing Hawker Siddeley 748 s and the Air Force’s military version of the 748, the Andover.

The CN-235 can seat as many as 44 passengers, or, as a freighter, can carry five containers. It can also be easily converted into a mini-combi with room for 18 passengers and two containers.

The aircraft was flown to Mount Cook and Queenstown by Mount Cook Airlines’ manager of flight operations, Captain John Jones. He was particularly im-

pressed by the aircraft’s handling performance and low fuel consumption.

"At the same cruising speed as the 748, it burns about a third less fuel,” he said. At a slightly slower cruising speed (200 knots), the saving is even greater — as much as a half less.

The high wings allow passengers an unobstructed view of the countryside.

The Air Force and the airlines are now assessing the aircraft, which carries a price tag of about $lO million.