AIR LINE STARTED

Evening Star, Issue 20634, 6 November 1930, Page 9

AIR LINE STARTED

-FROM- DIGRAM TO TAIERI DE HAVILAND PLANE’S GOOD TRIP SERVICE FORERUNNER OF BIGGER VENTURE The D.uneclin-Christchurch tri-weckly air service, the, first scheduled air line iu the South Island, was opened to-day, when Squadron-leader M. 0. M'Gregor, D.F.G., piloted a Do Haviland 50-type four-seater cabin piano from Sockburn to the North Taieri aerodrome, leaving on tho return trip three hours later. Not only was tho inauguration of the commercial service an important event, but tho arrival of tho biggest plane yet to land at tho Otago Aoro Club’s aerodrome was a red letter entry in the club’s history. Tho development of the spirit of air mindedness in Now Zealand has been slow, yet steady, and, as in the progress or civil aviation, the dominion has been pathetically slow in its adoption of aviation for commercial transport. Although the big piano travelled against a head wind and for about eighty miles through bad weather, it arrived at its southern _ terminus less than ten minutes behind scheduled time. From Wigram, where the service was given its initial start with the good wishes of tho Mayor of _ Christchurch (Rev. J. K. Archer), Sir Francis Boys (president of tho Canterbury Aero Club), and Mr J. Carr (president of the Canterbury Progress League), tho plane encountered unpromising weather till Ashburton was passed at 9.59 a.m., thirty-eight minutes after leaving the ground. Although tho wind was strong, tho weather was perfect from then bn to Waikouaiti. Tho plane passed over Timaru at 10.30, Waimatc a quarter of an hour later, and Oamaru was passed at 11.10. As tho plane was heading past Waikouaiti for Otago Harbour passing clouds were encountered, but although heavy rain showers were being experienced in Dunedin and on the Taieri, little rain was met with. The visibility was good, and coming over the hills above Port Chalmers the De Haviland passengers sighted the Moth plane of tho Otago Aero Club, piloted by Flight-officer Olsen. The Moth escorted the passenger machine up the harbour and over the hills to North Taieri, where Squadron-leader M'Gregor niado an excellent, lauding into tho southerly wind. “ A wonderful trip,” enthusiastically declared Mr T. L. Hathaway, an Auckland business man, as lie stepped from tho capacious cabin. “From the point of view of tho business man, air travel is perfect. By travelling in the piano I will bo able to transact business in Dunedin within the next three hours, and connect with the ferry steamer at Lyttelton this evening. If I had bad to use tho rail or road, tho trip would have taken three days, which 1 cannot afford at this time.”

Mr Hathaway, who had Messrs R K. Palmer and W. M'Kaskell, two Christchurch newspaper men as his fellow passengers, was enabled to make his Dunedin visit only because of the fortunate inauguration of the air service. He considered that the trip by plane was no more expensive than by rail, as hotel accommodation would have been an added cost to rail transport. The saving in time, however, vas the great feature of air travel. When the three passengers alighted at North Taicri they were not the least wearied by the 210 miles of travel in well under three hours. From the air the countryside presented them with rapidly-changing interests. But it was the cleanliness and comfort of air transportation that impressed them most. Unpleasant memories of sniutcovcrcd suitings, ash-cloggcd eyes, and smoky facial markings, the inevitable trials of railway travel under existing conditions, were recalled by the passengers, who, without being compelled to rush off for a bath at an hotel, were able to motor direct to Dunedin within a few minutes of landing and transact their business without delay. The plane is u very well-known type for commercial purposes. It is equipped with a 230 h.p. water-cooled wddlcy-Puma engine, capable of an average speed of ninety miles an hour, a speed which was maintained by Squadron-leader M'Gregor _ on Ins southern flight this morning. Ihe plane has a cruising capacity of tour hours. The De Haviland 50 is. in the pilot’s opinion, an ideal craft for service on the Duncdin-Chnstelnircli route. Most airlines were started with this type of plane, which is still bein'', used for special service by the I anions Imperial Airways. The. Do Havilano 50 is a popular machine on Australian services. , , ~ Only exceptionally wretched weather conditions will prevent the service from being conducted to scheduled times, stated the pilot. The route from Oamarn to Christchurch provided the best flying country in New Zealand in any weather, the extensive stretch of l?.vel country being most suitable for forced landings. The route which would bo followed from the North Taicri aerodrome would be over Flagstad’ and Ibo bills to .Palmerston, from where a direct line would bo lollowed to Oamaru, Timani, Ashburton, and the Wigram aerodrome. When Mr M'Gregor was piloting the Chocolate plane ho landed on the Aero Club’s grounds at North Taicri before

the property was official!'; known as an aerodrome. Ho holds a high opinion of the property. In any wind the drome was easy of approach, and a good runway was provided into any quarter. The surface was good, and no difficulties were presented to the pilot in charge of a big plane. Nearly ail officials and executive members of the Otago Aero Club were on tho grounds to welcome Captain M’Gregor on tho completion of his first commercial, trip. “ It would bo a mistake if wo allowed Captain M‘Gregor and his passengers to arrive hero without making some recognition of the event, which is of importance so far as the aerodrome is concerned,’’ said Mr 11. E. Harrowelongh, president of the club, at a brief function in tho hangar. 11 The event is of importance, m two respects, to the drome—lho plane is the bierm'd machine which has yet at the Otago airport, and it is the first machine to arrive as a commercial venture. The club extends a welcome to you, and wo assure you that wo look with a oreat deal of interest on your arrival Mtbmmb the committee of the Otaco Aei;o Club, we have long-given nr the idea that the purpose of the club is merely to train ‘ young hairbrained rascals ’ to flv. This is the airport for Otago and Dunedin in particular, and our effort is to make this an airport and not simplv a training "round for tho aero club.” The club was very interested in the venture of Air Travel, said the president, and tho hope was that the effort would bo proved a commercial success so that the company would not only be able to increase its fleet, but that other companies would find air services profitable and advantageous. It was in the interest of aviation and tho airnort that they United tile service would be as regular as the pilot anticipated. “ Wo are starting in a .small way, but this is a preliminary to the commencement of operations by a bigger company,” said Squadron-leader M‘Gregor, who added that bo hoped to ran to time-table without fail.: