LATIN AMERICA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 8, 7 December 1937, Page 9

LATIN AMERICA.

BRITISH AIR SERVICE. SOUTH ATLANTIC PLANS. LONDON, Nov. 25. Britain plans not only a direct air route between Britain and West Africa, but also British services between Europe and Latin America. To survey both routes, a- correspondent learns, is the real object of the party which, including a British Government official, is on its way in a British Airways’ machine to Freetown (Sierra Leone). From Freetown the party will travel back along the coast to Bathurst, in Gambia, examining on the way possible sites for aerodromes and harbours from which land planes and seaplanes might operate services across the South Atlantic. On the results of the investigation depends the decision whether land or marine aircraft shall work the projected services. Britain is building the world’s fastest bombers. A civil version of one of these might lie suitable for the inauguration of the “mails only” service, though tile additional security of four engines is demanded for passenger transport. Selected British Airways’ pilots have already begun special courses of training to fit them for these experimental ocean flights. It is likely that the present survey will last two or three months. Eventually the British airline to South America is likely to go by way of Lisbon, Bathurst, Natal (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires. British Airways at present operates State-subsidised services between Britain and Scandinavia. As an indication of the importance attached to the survey, it is learned that the British Government agreed to pay out-of-pocket expenses incurred in developing the services, including the cost' of experimental flights. As soon as preparations are sufficiently well advanced, the Government will begin to make payments to the operating company at a fixed rate per flight. The Air Ministry will also be prepared to indemnify tYe company in respect of the capital involved in the approved purchase of flying equipment for the West African-South Atlantic services. The choice of aircraft will be made in consultation between the company and the Air Ministry. Meanwhile, one of the two longrange de Havilland Albatross four-en-gined monoplanes built for . the Air Ministry will be handed over to British Airways for experimental flights, and may be used for the first crossing about June next.,