TASMAN AIRWAYS DEFENDS USE OF FLYING-BOATS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 October 1948, Page 2

TASMAN AIRWAYS DEFENDS USE OF FLYING-BOATS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Over the trans-Tasman route Solents would prdvide a standard of safety unequalled by any other aircraft, said Mr J. W. Veale, assistantgeneral manager of Tasman Empire Air Ways in a statement giving the company’s reasons for buying these flying-boats. , • Using only 50 per cent, of the available engine power for nofinal cruising, the Solents would have an enormous power reserve, he ■ said. They would be able to land at an “all-up” weight. That was, it would not be necessary to jettison fuel should a landing have to be rriade immediately after a take- off. Cruising at well over 200 miles an hour, the Solents would cross the Tasman in 6j hours. Mr. Veale added that the route expansion by T.E.A.L. would keep pace with aerodrome development in New Zealand. ‘'The company will not be slow in making applications for route licences, should aerodromes suited to modern land-type aircraft become available,” he said. “T.E.A.L. will fulfil its present obligations with Solent flying-boats and later, possibly, by the use of both land-planes and flying-boats, if this can be done economically and if suitable airports are available.

“Our faith in the British aircraft industry and our belief in British enterprise naturally lead us to prefer British aircraft,” said Mr Veale. “While a thoroughly efficient and competitive British aircraft particularly suited to the trans-Tasman route is available, there is little justification for spending dollars for American aircraft.”