TASMAN AIR LINE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 4260, 4 November 1933, Page 3

TASMAN AIR LINE.

POSSIBLE WITHIN TEN YEARS

Auckland, November 3,

The opinion that a passenger and air mail service across the Tasman Avas a reasonable extension of the proposed England to Australia service Avithin the next ten years Avas expressed by Air AY. Hudson Fvsli, managing director of

Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, Limited, avlio is a through passenger on the Monterev on his avua t home to Australia.

A pilot during the Avar, Air Fysb travelled from Australia to England in the Imperial Airways plane, Astraea, Avhich made a special survey flight in connection Avith the proposed extension of the airway sendee from Singapore to Australia. He Avent to England to gather information likely to be of value to his company in tendering for the contract for the extension of the service from Singapore. In the course of his iiiA-estiga-tions he travelled on the main British, French, German and Dutch ainvay lines, and also fIeAV across the United States in the latest American Boeing ’plane, which has a cruising speed of 160 miles per hour.

The Imperial Ainvays service between London and Paris Avas more impressive than any others he saAv, the planes in this service carrying up to 38 passengers. They fIeAV in all kinds of Aveather and kept excellently to their timelahles.

In the matter of speed the American services Avere Avell ahead of all others for the reason that that type of aviation had been specially developed in the States. Commercial aviation in Great Britain, he said, Avas making tremendous strides.

It was proposed, said Air Fvsli, that the trip from England to Australia should occupy 10 days. That time, lie thought, compared favourably with any, other similar seiwice in the Avorld. It Avas far better to lay a neAV and difficult service on sure foundations and then improve it as conditions warranted than to aim at speed alone. The proposed time-table had been fixed by the British and Australian Governments, the schedule alloAving for 10 days on the journey, Avhich reduced the time occupied on steamer routes by half. He said it could not be compared Avitli tlie time occupied by planes in the trails-American services, m which 1300 air lighthouses, each burning a light of 2*000,000 candlepower, made night flying practicable. If night flying Avas to be attempted on the England-Australia route some similar scheme of lighting Avould have to be considered. The most difficult stretch of the journey between England and Australia, said Air Fysk, Avould be the crossing of the Timor Sea, a distance of 520 miles, which would be the longest ocean span covered by any air service in the Avorld. For such a flight machines of extreme safety Avere essential, and nothing but four-engined craft could be considered.

In both England and America, he said, keen interest Avas being taken in the proposed trans-Atlantic service, and he believed such a service would become a fact Avithiu a few years.