AIR SERVICES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 19 April 1934, Page 4

AIR SERVICES

INTEREST IN AUSTRALIA . THE TASMAN CROSSING (By Telegraph—Press Association) AUCKLAND, Kith April. “Apart front our pioneering friends, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith anti Mr C. T. P. Uhn, there is very little interest in Australia in aviation,” said Mr S. E. Nielson, secretary of the NcvV Plymouth Aero Club, who returned by the Monowai last evening from a business visit to Australia. He said that there was little interest in the Commonwealth even in making connection by air between Australia and New Zealand. “The whole of Australia’s interest at present,” said Mr Nielson, “is in connection with the Australia-Singa-pore link in the air service to England and.in immediate arrangements for internal air services. Tenders for mail contracts for these services closed recently.” Dc'linite steps were being taken in Sydney to form a new aerial transport service, which would eventually include a trans-Tasman service as one of its activities. A tran*-Tasman service would not materialise, however, until the services in Australia bad been established. There was a lot to be done in New Zealand in the way of internal arrangements for passengers and mails before a service across the Tasman could become an actual fact. It was the opinion in Australia that the Governments of the two countries should immediately take in hand the question of radio direetiortlinding plant for the guidance of aeroplanes in regard both to internal services and a trans-Tasman service. It was uiKjjprstood that these wireless services could possibly operate iq conjunction with a service for shipping. The main efforts towards securing a trans-Tasman air service would have to come from New Zealand, and it ,was obvious that the matter could Tie facilitated only by assistance from the Government. Mr Nielson said that Sir Charles Kingsford Smith took him for a trial llight in the new Codock machine, which it is proposed to fly across the Tasman. They went from Mascot aerodrome, Sydney to Melbourne in 2 hours 35 minutes. At Melbourne the machine would he finally examined by the civil aviation authorities. To demonstrate the airworthiness of the Codock machine Sir Charles Kingsford Smith flew for a time with both hands off the controls, and the machine remained stable. Its beautiful streamlining enabled it to attain a speed of 10 miles an hour more than its specified cruising speed. It was able to take off and land in a remarkably short distance, landing being facilitated by its special brakes. It would thus be possible to use the machine at small aerodromes.