The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES.” GISBORNE, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1948. INQUIRY INTO TASMAN FLYING-BOATS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22626, 1 May 1948, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES.” GISBORNE, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1948. INQUIRY INTO TASMAN FLYING-BOATS

r |pIIE report of the commission of inquiry into the mishap which befell a Tasman Empire Airways’ flying-boat on December 3 will have aroused public interest not only on account of the technical detail it contains but also because of the more easily understood theme that, all is not well with the control of the service. The commissioners have fully exonerated the captain and crew of the aircraft, which had to return to Sydney after jettisoning its freight, but have not hesitated to point out weaknesses which include “restrictive influences at work upon the civil aviation branch and neglect, to consider professional and technical services in their right perspective. ” New Zealand air travellers have become accustomed to internal services as safe and reliable as it is humanly possible to organise, and they, together with Australians and any other trans-Tasman passengers, are entitled to an assurance that the flights between Sydney and Auckland will be conducted with a similarly well coordinated efficiency. These passages are expensive; in fact, they are beyond the means of a large section of the people on both sides of the sen. And the ship Wnhino is quite inadequate for coping with the thousands who in normal circumstances would no doubt be wanting to exchange visits. The public will at least expect a quick official response.to the call for administrative and technical improvements.in line with die recommendations of the commission. Above all things, safety-first principles must he observed. No chances should be taken with the whims of the stormy Tasman. The commission is of the opinion that pressurised aircraft should lie adopted on the Tasman service at the earliest possible moment. This, it considers, would materially improve the margin of safety, for machines so equipped could fly above bad weather without distress to Idle passengers. Attention has also been paid to a better three-engine performance. The importance of this can hardly be over-estimated. The flying-boat which struck trouble on December 3 obtained its slight margin of safety only through the jettisoning of its freight. Any continuation of the risk of losing personal belongings would meet with strong critical reactions from the public. AVili the situation that lias arisen revive the old fiving-boat versus land plane argument? On charter flights Constellation land aircraft have given a taste of their capabilities. It is nevertheless probable that, ail things considered, the preference will, be for a service maintained by flying-boats constructed in Britain. . The machines which have been on duty for some time were built in England, but they have American engines. Each country can produce the best of workmanship, but in this ease there seems to have been some lack of technical co-ordination which, combined with unsatisfactory control methods, has resulted in the deficiencies pointed out by tlie commission. It cannot be suggested, in view of so much evidence to the contrary, that American motors are not among the world’s best., but an encouraging faith in British flying-boat craftsmanship will be gained when it is remembered that the first Tasman flying boats, fitted with British motors, were at no time grounded because of engine overheating. The machines more recently in use have been of the stop-gap variety. Larger and faster Solents, incorporating the best in British post-war design, will probably be available later this year. It is likely that their performance, especially in the wake of this inquiry, will give complete satisfaction.