OVER THE ATLANTIC

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1934, Page 14

OVER THE ATLANTIC

ECKENER'S PLANS READY

Dr. Eckener, the Graf Zeppelin commander, speaking in London, stated that complete details have been worked out for regular Transatlantic airship services. He also expressed tho "confident hope" that Great Britain would once more build airships, and would co-operate in the Transatlantic service, says the- "Daily Telegraph."

The routes proposed, Dr. Eckener said, were:—Central Europe to Rio de Janeiro; North America to the Dutch Indies; a triangular route linking Europe with North and South America.

Dr. Eckener said that a new airship, designed for these services, was now under construction. The airships to be placed in this service would bo larger, faster, and more comfortable than the Graf Zeppelin. Tho oast to west journey would probably take 3* days and the return trip

"If it is planned to start an airship from America for Batavia each ten days, and one froni Central Europe for South America each seven days, four airships would be required," he added. "The cost of these four ships and the operating capital necessary would be about £2,200,000. There would be further the cost of airship halls at tho termini of each route and of anchormasts and gas-filling stations at the various landing points. This would amount to about £1,200,000. Dr. Eckcncr was delivering a lecture at the Scala Theatre under . the auspices of the All Peoples' Association. At a luncheon given in his honour by the same association, he said, in reference to airships, that the travelling public claimed 99.9 per cent. safety in transport, adding that "100 per cent, is only possible on the journey to heaven." • ..

In the fifty crossings of the Atlantic ho had made in Zeppelins he had tried to prove that airships possess this 99 9 per cent, of safety. "I shall demonstrate this in further regular services over the ocean in tho near future. The moment the public is convinced of the safety in airship travel we shall be able to rim full ships."