CHARTER FLIGHTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22570, 25 February 1948, Page 6

CHARTER FLIGHTS

TASMAN_SERVICE USE OF SKYMASTERS TRIP BY CONSTELLATION (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 24. Plans for interim air services between New Zealand and Australia to operate while Tasman Empire _ Airways fleet of Tasman-class flying-boats is grounded are announced by the company. Arrangements have -been made for flights by Skymnsters and a Constellation and. ir. addition, a Hythe flyingboat of the British Overseas Airways Corporation may also assist. The general manager of the company, Mr. G. N. Roberts, said that four charter flights would be made this week by Skymaster planes of Trans-Australia Airlines, leaving Sydney at 2 o'clock in the morning. New Zealand time, and landing at Whenuanai. Those aircraft were due at S o'clock -his morning, on Wednesday and Thursday and again on Sunday. The return flights to Sydney would begin two or three. hours after their arrival at Whenuapai. Carry 42 Passengers Th" Skymasters would each carry 42 people. “In addition, a Constellation aircraft of Qrnfas Empire Airways will make one return flight between Sydney and Ohakca on Wednesday of this week,” Roberts continued. “It will arrive at Ohakea early in the morning and leave for Sydney approximately two hours later. The company has also made tentative arrangements for one return service by a British Overseas Airways Hythe flying-boat on Thursday of this week,” he added. “Further charter flights will take place next week, but the exact number is not yet known. “As the services are now behind schedule it will be, necessary to give preference to through passengers and return ticket-holders.” Mr. Roberts said. “This may affect travellers in other categories, but every effort will be made to cause passengers the least po"ible inconvenience. “Passengers will be advised as soon as of their revised elates of travel.” Removal of Engines. The last of Tasman Airways flyingboats to cross the Tasman until engine modifications are made to prevent overheating, the New Zealand, arrived from Sydney yesterday afternoon without her normal complement of passengers. In addition to her regular crew, however, she carried a Pratt and Whitney engine export. Mr. F. M. Gardner, Melbourne, who will assist the company's engineers in modifying the motors of the four planes. No time has been lost by the company in beginning the worn of removing the engines from its planes for modification. The four engines were taken from one of the aircraft yesterday. It is expected that much. of the work will be clone at Hobsonvillc. The grounding of Tasman Empire Airways flying-boats and damage at Fiji to the hull of the National Airways Corporation's flying-boat Mataatua and her temporary withdrawal from the service has resulted in the corporation chartering a Skymaster of British Commonwealth Pacific (Airlines to maintain the schedule between Auckland and Fiji this week,. Norman schedules are being maintained by the corporation's Douglas planes on the Islands run.