GREAT AIR AGE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 135, 4 March 1929, Page 11

GREAT AIR AGE

RECORD O EXTRAORDINARY DEVELOPMENT FIVE YEARS’ PROGRESS 73000 MILES OF ORGANISED AIRWAYS (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Rec. March 3, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 2. The progress of the great air age is strikingly given in an aerial “ABC” just issued. It reVeals more than 73,000 miles of organised airways in the world, serving four hundred cities and towns in 1929. There were only 3000 miles in 1924. Then follow 35,000, 51,000, 55.000 and 73,000 in 1928. When the first daily service from London to Paris started nine and a half years ago a 360-horse power aeroplane carried two ' passengers and a pilot. To-day three-motored aeroplanes developing more than 1000 horse-power carried eighteen passengers and a crew of three. In 1919 twenty passengers crossed the Channel by air weekly: to-day the average is 2000 weekly in and out of London. An air ticket can now be purchased at Croydon for Persia, Northern Africa, and Moscow. The latter is now only twenty-nine hours from London. OPERATIONS OF IMPERIAL AIRWAYS SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA IN CONTEMPLATION. (Australian Press Association.) (Rec. March 3. 5.5 p.m.) London, March 2. Next month Imperial Airways will be opening the route from London to India, which will be reached in six days. This will give Britain the longest organised air route in the world. Further extensions are beiilg planned from India to Darwin. Timetables show that it will be possible for urgent mails to be sent by air from London to Sydney by a 'day and night relay system, taking roughly about 180 hours. The schedule of'the various stages are as follow (all hours): — London to Cairo, thirty-five; Cairo to Karachi, thirty-three; Karachi to Rangoon, thirty-one; Rangoon- to, Singapore, eighteen; Singapore to Darwin, thirty-three; thence to Sydney. COBHAM’S EDUCATIONAL TOUR (Rec. March 3, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 2. Ten thousand children will fly with Sir Alan Cobham during the summer through the generosity of an anonymous donor. He will carry out the flights in a big air liner called the Spirit of Adventure. There will be no stunting. The children will be over thirteen and chosen by the authorities of their schools, and carried with their parents’ consent. The idea is to stimulate the ambition of the boys and girls and teach them air-mindedness.