NEW AIR SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 22, 26 July 1933, Page 3

NEW AIR SERVICE

PLANS BEING DRAWN UP

IS RONCOTAI SUITABLE?

Plans are being made to carry forward a proposal which has been under consideration for some months now for the institution of a regular air seiv c between the main centres of both islands. Past efforts to establish such services in New Zealand have not all been happy, but circumstances have altered a good deal in the last tew years. For one thing New Zealand is much better acquainted with the idea of fast air travel than was so a couple of years ago, and if tables were available showing the extent to which the various aero clubs' machines are in demand for passenger work the figures would be surprising. Mr. Wilfred Kingsford Smith, brother of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, is expected in New Zealand about the middle of next month in connection with the formation of a company, and it is quite probable that Sir Charles will be interested in the company if it is floated. It is understood that the present proposal is for a service between Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, with a call at New Plymouth.

Wellington has a particular interest in any proposal for a regular air service, "because the question is bound to be raised whether Rongotai aerodrome is suitable as a landing ground for passenger machines. Sir Charles expressed himself very definitely on the point when Uo was in Wellington last year. Rongotai, he said, was not a ground from which large passenger machine* could safely operate under any but favourable weather conditions. Whether ho would agree to the inclusion of Wellington as a port of call with Rongotai as the only available aerodrome is an open question. Sir Charles has expressed himself as of the opinion that Gear Island is much more suitable as a 1 landing ground for heavy passenger machines.

It is possible that the Australianbuilt Codock machine which is to be flown across the Tasnian in December by Squadron-Leader T. W. White will be used as one of the New Zealand air service company's machines. It is a six-passenger monoplane with a cruising speed of 125 miles, and a top speed of 140 miles per hour.