TASMAN AIR MAILS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 67, 20 March 1937, Page 9

TASMAN AIR MAILS

"NO NATURAL BARRIER"

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 19. Confidence in the success of the PanAmerican Airways service from San Francisco to Auckland was expressed by Flight-Lieutenant W. S. Armstrong, of the Royal Australian Air Force, who passed through Auckland by the Mariposa on his return to Sydney after two years' instruction and investigation in England and the United States. He said there was now no natural barrier to the establishment of a transTasman air-mail service. "From what I have seen, the service between New Zealand and America is definitely possible with existing equipment," Mr. Armstrong said. "I should imagine that in the near future it will be possible to travel by flying-boat between the two countries at an average speed of about 200 miles an hour. In the United States ordinary land aeroplane schedules already work out at nearly 200 miles an hour." Commenting upon aviation progress abroad, Mr. Armstrong said that the establishment of a 12-hour service across the United Stales was anticipated at an early date. Costly aircraft would be required for the journey, which would allow of one stop. To provide the most economical service, aeroplanes would have to be kept in the air a maximum period, which, it was expected, would be about 20 hours out of every 24. That would be possible through a special maintenance organisation capable, for instance, of changing machines au4 anfijnes in tw» bourn.