POST-WAR AVIATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1944, Page 6

POST-WAR AVIATION

CHICAGO CONFERENCE

COMPROMISE DECISION

NEW YORK, November 5. The Air Conference al Chicago has adopted a resolution accepting the principle of international collaborarion in. post-war commercial aviation, and also expressing the hope that an. international organisation may be established.

Mr. Berle, U.S.A, spokesman, proposed the establishment of an interim council tor the immediate post-war period, pending Ihe establishment of a permanent body. Mr. Berle’s proposal envisages a governing board both for an international authority, and an interim council, consisting op 15 members, of which two would be from the United States and two from Britain, and also two from. Russia if they decide to participate. There would be one delegate each for Brazil, China, and France. The remaining six would be selected to assure representation of other areas, three being from Europe, two from the Western Hemisphere, and one from Asia and Africa. The “New York Times’s”- Chicago correspondent says: The resolution did not involve a commitment as between the conflicting proposals of the British. American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand delegations, but it has strengthened a feeling that the participating nations do not want the conference to end in a failure, and that they do desire to organise some kind of an international body so as to prevent international air rivalries from interfering with world peace. The New York “Herald-Tribune’s” Chicago correspondent says: The aviation conference reached general accord on procedure with establishing of post-war provisional air routes. Mr. Berle told the Press that the delegations had agreed to deal with two levels of post-war flying:—(l) The organisation of aviation during an interim period from the end of the war until permanent arrangements can be made. (2) Permanent tries and an underlying law governing post-war aviation. British delegates insisted that provisional routes could only be established through bilaterial procedures, which however, should fit in with the principles of any multilateral air authority which may be established m future. Mr. Berle emphasised that the greatest goodwill obtained among the delegates, so that overlapping was rapidly ironed out. DUTCH PROPOSALS. (Rec. 12.15 p.m.) NEW YORK. November 5. The Netherlands delegation to the Chicago Aviation Conference proposed 39 Dutch-controlled services. In addition to the historic K.L.M. route between Amsterdam and Batavia, the Dutch seek services from Amsterdam to New York via England, Ireland and Newfoundland, also via Portugal, the Azores, Bermuda. Other services proposed are from the American Pacific coast to the Indies via 'Hawaii, the Marshalls or Gilberts; from Miami to the Netherlands West Indies: and from Batavia via Australia to New Zealand. Holland also desires links with Argentina, Africa, Egypt, India, China, Japan, Singapore and Indo-China in addition to the European network. LONDON-SYDNEY SERVICE. PL,ANE AT AUCKLAND. WELLINGTON, November 5. The first aircraft of a British military air service, connecting London, via Montreal, with Auckland and Sidney by way of the Pacific,, arrived at Whenuapai airfield. Auckland, on Saturday after a six-hour stay at Nandi, Fiji. The aircraft was escorted for the last part of its long journey into Auckland, by a -flight of Royal New Zealand Air Force fighters.

For strictly military purposes, the service, which is operated by the Royal Aii- Force Transport Command, will be operated twice weekly in each direction between Sydney and Montreal, where it will connect with the daily North Atlantic service, which has been in operation for the last three years. The service will accommodate war priority passengers, i troop mail, and freight required for the war effort. The aircraft of the service will call at Auckland and Fiji o.n trips in both directions, under the schedule now being discussed. The first aircraft to make the trip is a converted Liberator, of the RY-3 type, which is notable for its very long fuselage and long cruising range. The pilot is Air Commodore Griffith Powell, C.8.E., R.A.F., who will have the general direction of the service from Montreal. He is accompanied by Group Captain W. W. Dean, R.A.F., and Mr. R. B. Jackson, who is in charge of the priorities and traffic problems covering the service. Other members of the crew are Flight Lieutenant G. Wright R.C.A.F. (copilot). Flight. Lieutenant K. Shea, R.A.A.F. (navigator). Mr. J. R. Burton (wireless operator), Mr. J. W. Affleck (first flight engineer), Mr. W. Andrews (second flight engineer), and Leading Aircraftman W. Stagg (flight clerk). Air Commodore Powell said that the first trip of the service had not been operated io any fixed schedule, as the object had been to make all the necessary arrangements en route, and to establish operations and maintenance stall's. For this reason, mail freight loads from England and elsewhere had not been great. After a short stay at Auckland, the aircraft flew to Sydney to-day. Air Commodore Powell expects to start the return journey within three or four days. As a further number of the- staff have to be located, and some operating arrangements completed. the service will probably not be twice-weekly for three weeks or so, but should be in regular operation by the middle of December. 'Air Commodore Powell said it was worth noting that, the presence in the United States of Now Zealand delegates to the international Air Conference nt Chicago had been a convenient opportunity lor some unique first flight covers' Io lie dispatched. These included letter from members >f the New Zealand delegation to Air Vice-Marshal L. M. isitt, Chief of the v i Sto.fi’ Mr. T. A. Barrow, Air Secretary, and Mi’. Foss Shanahan. Travelling with Air Commodore Powell, and with Auckland as their destination, were Squadron Leader E. Clark, D.F.C., R.N.Z.A.F., Mr. K. R. Ellis, and Mr. H. Victor Clark. Well known in New Zealand, and in prewar years as the “Flying Farmer,” Squadron Leader Clark, who has been attached to the Royal Air Force Transport Command since its inception, will be stationed at Auckland as liaison officers with the various authorities concerned.

Other passengers included Squadron Leader W. B. Wright, who is an Australian in the Royal Air Force and who will be stationed at Sydney. Air Commodore Powell said that Dominion crews and personnel would be used as much as practicable, and in New Zealand and Australia, operation maintenance, and traffic problems would be handled by the R.N.Z.A.F, and the R.A.F. ly(Reccl. Noon) SYDNEY, Nov. 6.

The new twice-weekly air transport service between London and Sydney has been inaugurated by the arrival at Mascot from Auckland of the “Commando.” The plane’s actual flying time for the 15,545 mile trip from London to Sydney was sixtynine hours seventeen minutes.