AVIATION

Grey River Argus, 18 May 1938, Page 9

AVIATION

TASMAN SERVICE. I Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SYDNEY, May 17. The Minister of Defence (Mr, Thorby) stated that, the Commonwealth Government had recently been in close touch with the New Zealand Government regarding arrangements for the creation of an organisation to control the trans-Tasman air mail service, but. lie is not. yet in a position to announce any details. JAPANESE RECORD. TOKIO, Mav 15. The “Wings of the Century” monoplane completed 6,785 miles in 58 hours 10 minutes, beating the record of 6,615 miles by Bossoutiot an.') Rossi in 1932. BASRAH, May 15. The French airwoman, Elizabeth Dudeyron, arrived at Abadan from Istre near Marseilles, about 1,670 miles, beating Miss Earhart’s long distance record of 1450. LONDON-SYDNEY SERVICE. AUCKLAND, May 16. Acceleration of the arrangements for the initiation of the trans-Tasman air service may result from the visit to New Zealand of Mr. A. E. Rudder, Australian representative of Imperial Airways, who arrived by the Aorangi, from Sydney, to-day. It is likely he will have conversations with representatives of the Government.

Mr. Rudder declined to say anything concerning the proposed trans Tasman link, but announced that the Empire service from London to Sydney was to be operated by flying boats, and was expected to commence before the end of July. The boats would not follow the present plane service route, Darwin to Brisbane, but would take the coast line from the Gulf of Carpentaria. A feature of the service would be that the passengers would not have to transfer from one flying boat to anotner as each boat would complete the full journey, London to Sydney, and vice versa. Three services weekly would be carried out, occupying ten days each way, and later, when the base equipment was completed, night flying would cut the journeys down to seven days. UNION AIRWAYS. LOCKHEED ELECTRAS ORDERED. WELLINGTON, May 16. Union Airways have ordered two Lockheed Electra air-liners, one to replace the Kotare and the other to take care of the*- anticipated increase i in passenger traffic next season. These machines will arrive in New Zealand later in the year. Trouble with one of its fourymotors caused the Union Airways’ liner, Karoro, to return to Wigram aerodrome,’ shortly after it had left for the north this morning. The motor was not functioning correctly, and the pilot turned back to - enable adjustments to be made, but it was found that fairly extensive dam- ' age had been suffered, and the ma- , chine did not leave again. One of the company’s mechanics at Palmerston /North was sent for, and he flew to Blenheim in an Aero CUib ; Moth, and boarded the south-bound • liner which was held back there, until >1 he arrived. > Due to arrive about one o’clock, the . south-bound machine is now expectted at 2.30 p.m. When it arrives it will pick up nine passengers, who were to travel by the Karoro, and return north. It is not expocted that the trip to Dunedin will be made tai' day. OTTAWA, May 13. - Questioned In the House of Com- , mons, the Prime Minister (Mr. W. I . . MacKenzie King) confirmed a report that informal preliminary discussions L had taken place on the proposed Can-adian-Australian air service, but no negotiations between Canada and Britain had been opened.