AIR TERMINAL

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1937, Page 2

AIR TERMINAL

WELLINGTON'S CLAIMS. VIEWS OF MR GATTY. WELLINGTON, September In. The disappointment felt in Wellington when the Pan American clipper failed to pay the expected visit to that city on its first trip to New Zealand in March was referred to by Mr Harold Gatty '•pvhfle in Wellington this week. The company regretted very much, he said, that it was necessary to cancel the flight at the last moment. Though it was not proposed at present that Wellington should be the terminal of the trans-pacific service, it was still felt that the intended visit should be made.

There was no question at all about the suitability of Wellington Harbour as a flying-boat base, said Air Gattv, except, at present, the important consideration of geographical position. Auckland was the first large centre reached by a flying-boat approaching New Zealand from the north; Wellington was still another 300 miles further south. To-day that was a great consideration, for the machines which would be used in the Pacific flights at the end of this year and during the first months of 1938 would not possess so wide a margin of range that another 300 miles could b e treated as of little account.

Larger Clippers Coming. Within a few months of the commencement of the regular service, however, the Sikorsky Clipper would he replaced by the much larger Boeing Clipper, about double the size of the Sikorsky and one and a. halt times that of the Martin Clipper, at present the largest flving-boat in operation, flhe additional distance would not then be so serious a hurdle. Nor, he said, was the Boeing Clipper by any means the last word to be said about flying-bout development; it was simply the last word for the present. “From what l’have heard it appears that Wellington has in some way been given an inferiority complex over the suitability of her harbour as a flying boat base,” said Mr Gatty. “I have heard it seriously stated, for instance, that Wellington harbour is not end cannot be suitable for a flying boat terminal. That has been said, not by outsiders, but by Wellington people.

No Confusion of Traffic. “There is ample landing space and there are here what are unfortunately lacking in certain other harbours, areas of water naturally well sheltered from the prevailing winds and sens raised by wind within the harbour limits. There is probably more clear water for landing and take-off at Wloiington than in most harbours so close ,to cities, for- there .is -no -eon-, l fusion of ferry and small craft. “Not only is Wellington Harbour (piite suitable for flying boats as they are being built to-day, but the expanse of clear water is so great that it will be suitable for any flying boat development that one can visualise at present. If a flying boat can’t land here, well, it can’t land anywhere.

“I am not suggesting that there is any intention to transter the Pan American base from Auckland to Wellington. but it is not correct to assume that Wellington Harbour is not suitable for flying boats.”

During bis stay in Wellington, Air Gattv visited various parts of the \V,terl‘ront in company with the general manager of the Wellington Harbour Board, Air A. G. Barnett.