EMPIRE AIR ROUTES

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1942, Page 5

EMPIRE AIR ROUTES

SYDNEY, August 17. ' “At all costs, the Empire air routes must be maintained,” declares Sir Keith Smith, aviation pioneer and Australian representative of Vickers Limited. “New Empire air routes should be established. I endorse the recent suggestions by Mr Fysh Taylor for a trans-lndian Ocean service, linking New Zealand, Australia and England.” Unless we aroused ourselves from our present apathy, the Empire might be unable to meet post-war requirements of civil aviation. After the war, air (travel would exce’ed in popularity all other modes of transport. The Sydney to London, and the SydneySan Francisco journeys would be shortened to three or four days. Huge commercial fleet aircraft would be required and planning should begin now. In Australia, hundreds of splendid aerodromes were being laid down. These presented a magnificent post-war chance to develop the interior of the Continent, since air routes would bring the most isolated localities within a few hours’ flying time of the big cities.