LUXURIOUS PLANES FOR TRUNK SERVICE

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 225, 24 September 1935, Page 7

LUXURIOUS PLANES FOR TRUNK SERVICE

Great Pacific Airways’ Choice CONVERTIBLE INTO FIGHTING MACHINES Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. The announcement that three Avro 052 aeroplanes had been ordered for thu trunk air service to be conducted between Auckland and Dunedin by Great Pacific Airways (New Zealand), Limited, was made by Mr Trevor S. Withers, organiser of the company, at a sitting of the Transport (Jo-ordina-tion Doard. Cabled advice to this effect was received i'roiji Mr E. T. Disk, of Australia, a director of the company-, who has been investigating airways in the United States and Great Britain in the past four mouths. Mr Withers stated that provided prompt delivery of the aeroplanes could be obtained the company should be ready to commence operations about next June or July. It was left for thu board to Jix a provisional date by which the company should commence operations. The Avro G 52, which is designed and constructed at Manchester, is a lowwing monoplane with two Siddeloy Cheetha ongics and a retractable undercarriage. It has a cruising speed of .165 miles an hour and a top speed of 195 miles an hour. The cost, lauded in Now Zealand fully equipped, will be about £IO,OOO each. The normal internal arrangement is for six passengers with separate baggago accommodation. The cabin is sutlicicntJy largo to accommodate the six passengers in luxurious comfort and is furnished with roomy armchair scats. The crew of two are provided with a separate cabin with full dual control. This cockpit, which, is totally enclosed, is forward of the leading edge of the wing.

“This machine is the very latest thing iu aircraft and was only designed tills year,” said Mr Withers. “It has proved remarkably successful, the first two machines having been ordered by Imperial Airways. So impressive were they that 174 of them have been ordered by the Royal Air Force for bombing and. reconnaissance work. “The fact that the aeroplanes to be used iu the New Zealand trunk service will be readily convertible for defensive purposes will be of great value to the Dominion. My company will maintain not only a fleet of fast aircraft but also a staff of highly-trained pilots, ground engineers and aircraftsmen. AH of the organisalion will be immediately available in the event of war. ’ ’

The operation oJi the trunk service, Mr Withers added, would be contiugeut upon tlio granting- of a Government subsidy, either in the form of a mail contract or otherwise. Is'ow that the matter of aircraft had been finalised it would shortly bo possible to prepare and submit subsidy proposals to the Government. These would provide for precedence being given to the carriage of first-class mails and would call for a very much lower subsidy per mile than that paid in many other countries. “My directors and I are quite confident.,’ 1 said Mr Withers, “that these subsidy proposals will receive early and favourable consideration. There is a general and widespread recognition throughout the Dominion as to the value of the trunk air service and from the postal' and defensive viewpoints alone such a servico obviously justifies the granting of a subsidy.” As soon as the trunk service was established Great Pacific . Airways would inaugurate " a fast AueklandKotorua service. It was also intended later to operate fast direct services between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch. and Dunedin.