PACIFIC AIR SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1937, Page 7

PACIFIC AIR SERVICE

SURVEY FLIGHT NEXT WEEK

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

SAN FRANCISCO, March 11.

Pan-American Airways announced to-day that the first survey flight would take place within a week, from Honolulu to Auckland, via Kingman Reef and Pago Pago, with a Sikorsky flying-boat, carrying a crew of six and taking four days for the journey. The company believed that the service would be inaugurated on a commercial basis six months later. The ship North Wind, has been ordered to proceed from Honolulu to Kingman Reef to facilitate the flight. RADIO PREPARATIONS AUCKLAND, March 12. Preparations for one of the most important aspects of the service to be commenced shortly by the Pan-Ameri-can Airways from Honolulu to Auckland, the assembling of most modern radio equipment, has been commenced in Auckland by three members of the company’s staff.

SURPRISE AT CANBERRA.

SYDNEY, March 13.

Canberra reports state that the agreement by Mr. Harold Gatty, acting on behalf of Pan-American Airways, for an experimental air service between Honolulu and New Zealand, caused surprise to the Federal Ministry . No intimation of the decision of the New Zealand Government to make such an agreement has reached the Commonwealth.

TRANS-TASMAN PROJECT

SYDNEY, March 12.

The “Sun” says that at present the trans-Tasman project is a matter of negotiation between the British, Australian, and New Zealand Governments. Aviation interests are urging the governments concerned to - expedite their decision on methods and terms of operation so that this service may also start from the Australian end this year. The “Sun” states that it was learned to-day that the new operating company will probably’ be formed by the Australian affiliations of Imperial Airways and Union Airways, New Zealand, to operate the trans-Tasman service.

The Minister for Defence (Sir Archdale Parkhill) said to-day that the Commonwealth was waiting for further information from New Zealand about the plans for the trans-Tasman air service. He added that he could not indicate when the service was likely to start.

CONTROL PROPOSALS.

SYDNEY, March 13

The “Herald” says that the proposed trans-Tasman air service will be controlled by some form of inter-Dominion commission or board, if the plans that are now the subject of negotiation between the British, the Commonwealth, and the New Zealand Governments are adopted. It is learned that the original proposal, that the Tasman service should be operated on a direct subsidy basis, has been abandoned, and it is now proposed that each government should pay,, on a poundage basis, for the mails carried. STINSON DISASTER (Recd. March 13, 8.45 a.m.). SYDNEY, March 12. The Air Accidents Investigation Committee has presented its report on the Stinson disaster. It expresses the opinion that the pilot, while attempting to fly over the Macpherson Range, close to the summit, encountered a down current of air in excess of the maximum climbing rate of the aircraft, and of such strength that the plane collided 'with the tree-tops, before it could be manoeuvred away from the danger. The wind force at the scene and the time of the accident, was in the vicinity of 60 miles per hour. The Committee heard evidence of the severity of the up and down currents on the lee side of the mountain ridge where the accident occurred, but was unable to determine whether i there was any mechanical defect in i the engine, owing to the fact that it was destroyed in the fire.

TO ASSIST PILOTS

CAPE TOWN, March 12

In order to assist airmen, the railways administration has decided to paint the name of every station throughout the Union on the roofs of its biggest, buildings, in letters legible at an altitude of 5000 feet.

LINER’S FAST FLIGHT

AUCKLAND. March 12

The Union Airways liner, Karoro, made a fast flight from Palmerston North to Auckland to-day over the route to be followed by the machines in the Auckland-Wellington service toward the end of the year. The Palmerston North-New Plymouth .stage of the journey took 67 minutes, and that from New Plymouth to Auckland occupied 64 minutes.