NEW ERA IN PACIFIC AVIATION

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1949, Page 5

NEW ERA IN PACIFIC AVIATION

Notable Passenger Plane Comes to N.Z.

P.A. AUCKLAND, February 21. The British Commonwealth Pacific Air Line's Douglas DC-6 aircraft “Discovery” lowered the Nandi - Whenuapai commercial flight record to-day when it was being flown for the first time on the Vancouver-Auckland service.

The airliner, which cruised at 300 miles an hour, touched down at Whenuapai, after four hours and 51 minutes’ flight from Nandi. This broke, by 10 minutes, the previous record established by the same airliner, on its delivery flight from San Francisco to Sydney via Auckland ? few days before Christmas. The passengers said, on arrival that the flight, at the altitude of 17,000 feet was made in the greatest comfort. They praised the cooked threecourse meals served by the two hostesses. Sufficient frozen and prepared meals was taken on board the aircraft to last the round trip. Foil length sleeping berths for the 37 passengers aboard were prepared in two minutes. Every conceivable thing to aid the passenger’ comfort was provided, including electric shaving sets for the men, and a commodious powder room aft for the women. A cloak room, equipped with hangers, was situated amidships and a public address system kent the passengers informed of the aircraft s progress. ~ The B.C.P.A. will operate a weekly service from Auckland to North America, as from March 7.

SLEEPER PLANES FOR PACIFIC SERVICE

VANCOUVER, Feb., 20. Sleeper aeroplanes are begnning a regular service across the Pacific from Vancouver to Sydney and Auckland. They are new'DC6’s, a pressurised cabin aircraft which British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines is installing for its luxury service between the west coast of North Amerca and the Antipodes. The first of the new aircraft arrived at Vancouver from Sydney with a party of Australian journalists aboard on Thursday evening, and it will leave on the initial flight to Auckland with two New Zealand newspaper representatives , included in the passenger list, on Friday afternoon. , , The DC6’s are slightly larger than the Skymaster DC4’s, which have been maintaining the service up to the present. They are also faster, and during the trip from Vancouver to Auckland it is hoped to clip several hours from the flying schedule. One of the greatest advances in the new aircraft is the provision of bunks where travellers may rest in comfort during the flight. Another is the fact that they are equipped with pressurised cabins, enabling them to fly at greater heights without inconvenience to the passengers or crew. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines maintain a weekly service between Auckland and Vancouver and a bi-weekly service between Sydney and Vancouver. On the first flight to Auckland the DC6 arrives at Auckland at 3.35 p.m. on Monday. The DC'6 has an absolute range of 4480 miles and can maintain a ceiling of 18,400 feet on any three of its four engines when fully loaded..

Three features ensure a minimum noise in the cabin. A sheet of laminated.mica is cemented directly to the airplane’s skin. Mounted over the mica are blankets of a new fibre-glass material covered by a porous trim fabric. Outside the aeroplane the engine nacelles are used as a shield between the engine exhaust and the cabin. All engine outburst on the inborn sides of the nacelles have been eliminated.

The people of New Zealand can take justifiable pride in this progressive step of their trans-Paciiic airline which places it far in the lead of its contemporaries. B.C.P.A. has provived the air transport prestige of the British Commonwealth with a much-needed fillip, for it now operates its service nearly 100 m.p.h. faster than its competitor and provides the only pressurised aircraft on the route, thereby enabling passengers to be flown above any turbulence or bad weather at heights not attainable by non-pressurised aircraft. It provides full length sleeping berths for 37 travellers, and from March 7 onwards it will be possible to leave Auckland on any Tuesday and be in the U.S.A, or Canada on the Wednesday; this is due to crossing the International date line. Nevertheless, passengers will not arrive in any way fatigued since the high cruising speed of the DC6 enables it to complete the journey between Auckland and Vancouver in 26 hours. In addition, a 10-hours daylight stop-over is scheduled for the convenience and enjoyment of passengers at Honolulu. Briefly, the DC6 can claim the following first: — 1. It is the first pressurised airliner whose fuselage can be maintained at comfortable temperatures at all altitudes. . , 2. It is the first airliner with a completely automatic cabin pressure control system. 3. It is the first airliner that is completely air-condition both from the standpoint of temperature as well as humidity. 4. It is the first airliner to use radiant heat, heated floors and walls guaranteeing even temperature distribution at all times. 5. It is the first airliner fully air conditioned on the ground as well as in the air. 6'. It is the first airliner with electric de-icing. 7. It is the first airliner to utilise 75S the new “miracle metal’ alluminum alloy, to increase strength and save weight. 8. It is the first airliner with fogproof and frost-proof passenger windows.

9. It is the first airliner with specially designed seats that can be made into berths in 30 seconds.

The DC6 is powered with four Pratt and Whitney 18 cylinder aircooled, radial, single-stage, two-speed engines, which deliver 2,400 h.p at take-off. The passenger cabin is 7ft from floor to roof and Bft lOin wide at the floor line, providing ample head-room and wide spacious aisles. It is devided into front and rear compartments by the buffet and cloakroom, which are situated opposite one another on each side, and directly opposite the entrance door. There are 48 day seats which are convertible during night flying into thirty-seven full-length sleepers. Additional bunks are concealed in the roof of the cabin, and with one operation the upper , berth can be swung down and made into a sleeper within ten seconds. Curtains -surround both upper and lower bunks and inside each upper compartment is a cabinet, storage box, luggage racks, clothes hanger, reading light, hostess call button and individual window. In the rear of the cabin is the ladies’ lounge. It has a full-length

mirror, built in sofa, dressing table, and two cosmetic bars. The lounge accommodates four passengers. Forward there are two men’s- toilet and change rooms, containing wash basto the ladies’ lounge, razor blade disins, and lighting and mirrors similar posals and electric razer outlets.