ONCE A DREAM

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1936, Page 11

ONCE A DREAM

NOW A CASH EEALIT^

RIDING THE AIR FOR A FARE

It seems strange (writes "Kappa" iit "Focus," magazine, of the Local Bodies Officers'' Guild) that one can just walk into. a . shipping office and purchase a ticket for a-flight such as has been dreamed of by mankind since be* fore' the days of Daedalus and Icarus^, with ncmorefuss or bother than buy-! ing a bunch of bananas. But it is a fact.

The only additional formality is thai signing of the indemnity form, stating in the terse and simple languagar of Mr. Punch that

"If you perish while in excelsis It is all your fault and nobody else's,1' and a neat envelope is presented to you containing your ticket and soma excellent advice for intending passengers. On the outside of the envelope it assures you that air travel is swift, clean, and comfortable, somewhat like a quick shave at a fashionable barber's. The next matter is one of luggage. The clerk informs you in a charming manner that you are limited to a weight of 301b and your absentminded tending of the wrong fare in the tram may be attributed to mental calculations on the weight of toothbrushes, razors, and the like (or the opposite). It is rumoured that a, certain business man filled his fibre case with the absolute necessities for. his journey, drove home the cork safely, added x few amenities, placed;his case on the scales, and started'to* bring it up to weight with a few spare1 pairs of clean socks. By the time-he had put in twenty pairs he recast his ideas on the generosity of the allowance and repacked his case. ; In reality 301b is quite a lot of luggage. . , The drive to the aerodrome is quite an every-day affair. The taxi pull 3 up outside the waiting-room and passengers and luggage are weighed before .embarking. The attendant must toe congratulated on his tactful handling of this matter in the case of the fair sex, and I have no doubt that this and their natural curiosity helps t* explain the preponderance of womeni among the passengers.

Passing through' the waiting-room* the passenger obtains his first glimpse of the aeroplane; this is quite thrilling, and its silver and blue colouring and1 graceful lines cannot fail to stir even! the "grossest codfish." The pilot has obtained his papers (with the afore* mentioned weighty secrets truthfully; recorded), and all are herded into* what turns out to be most like a' roomy railway carriage. The appointments are comfortable, there is ample! leg room, individual ventilation, and a! little bag on the back of the next seat labelled hopefully "just in case." The taxiing across the aerodrome i* the longest part of the flight. It is aj five-minute wonder whether you will! be nervous or sick; if the pilot knows his job; whether the number of aiq accidents are grossly exaggerated; and! whether it would not have been better; to go by boat after all. • All'this is-interrupted by the roaff of the engines; the machine bound* away, the tail rises, and one imperceptibly leaves the ground to climb stead* ily over the town and away on th« route. Enough has been written about air, travel for most to know something of the wonders of sea, land, and sky, that can be seen from the windows of the work-a-day airliner. Not enough! has been said of the sense of safety and strength that enables one to enjoy, these sights in absolute peace of mindThousands of square miles of greenl meadow, or virgin bush; wide expanses of green and blue ocean with gentle ripples or whitecapped billows, and fascinating fleecy white tablelands ofi gleaming clouds are sights not easily; forgotten. The reactions of the various' passengers, too, affords a few minutes' entertainment. The Rev. Mr. Hassock 1* looking quiet and thoughtful; doubtless he is struck by the splendour of tna works of the Almighty, or is a bit anxious over the state of the. parish' funds, or perhaps—well it was a bit rough a few miles back. Mrs. Smythl is so worried about the way Bobby 1 9 running about the machine that she! has no time to look out of the wmdows; anyway, she is sure she left the) electric stove on at home, and is woiv dering how she can let ; Tilly know! about it. Darby and Joan are sitting. in the back seat holding hands, slightly; awed, slightly nervous, and immensely; thrilled. ... The flight ends all too soon as tha aerodrome at the destination loom* up under the wings. . : After landing, one's luggage is removed from the machine and passengers are packed into waiting taxis ana carried rapidly to their destination. In six different houses six different passengers, in lifting their cups of tea! to their lips, remark originally, to! think that just an hour ago I was* enjoying a cup of tea or a drink of beer, or a. little juicy scandal in Wellington."