AEROPLANE FOR HIRE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 292, 7 November 1928, Page 6

AEROPLANE FOR HIRE

AUCKLAND COMPANY FORMED

FLYING DURING HOLIDAYS

(By Telegraph—Special to Standard.) AUCKLAND, Nov. 6. The coming of commercial aviation to New Zealand is heralded by the announcement that an Auckland company, Southern Cross Airways, Limited, with a capital of £SOOO, has ordered a Blackburn Bluebird aeroplane from England. The machine is lo be shipped during the next three weeks and is expected to be landed in ISew Zealand early in the New Year for flying during the summer holidays. The purchase price is in the vicinity of £I2OO. The company’s first machine will have a land and water under carriage which will enable it to serve both inland and coastal towns. The Black-burn-Bluebird is really a two seater, but" as the company’s machine will be used only for sbort trips some of the baggage space will be utilised to provide accommodation for a second passenger in addition to the pilot. Experienced pilots are of the opinion that land and water machines have a great future in New Zealand, particularly as there are so many landlocked harbours where an aeroplane with floats can safely descend even m fairly boisterous weather. Until the public lias acquired the “air sense” to patronise aerial taxies in cases where, expeditious transport is required a company’s machine will probably be available for flights to and from the seaside resorts round Auckland. Two passengers would be taken up for a flight of five minutes’ duration at a charge of 10s each. It is expected that the first aeroplane Fill meet with a large demand this summer from tourists wishing to spend a few hours at Rotorua or Taupo while the mailboat is in port.