LUXURY FLYING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22434, 2 June 1936, Page 11

LUXURY FLYING

AUSTRALIAN SERVICES RECENT TESTIS OF MACHINiE AERODROME AT MELBOURNE [from our own correspondent] MELBOURNE, May 26 To fly as a passenger to-day is not so much an ach-enture as a question of sitting back in cushioned jchairs, cigar in hand, and chatting with one's travelling neighbour. That, at least, is the impression gathered by those who have participated in the trial flights of the new Douglas air-liner, imported by the Holyman's Airways Proprietary, Limited, for the Melbourne-Hobart and Melbourne-Sydney services.

Auckland had a glimpse of the giant air-liner, lashed to the decks of the Hauraki, on its voyage from America to Melbourne. The completion of the assembling of the machine, of which the chief task was the fitting of the wings, has been carried out, and test flights, which have proved thoroughly satisfactory, have been made. I here is room in the machine for 14 passengers. Ventilation allows even the smoker full liberty, and extraneous noises have been reduced to a degree that permits conversation in normal tones. Christening o! Aeroplane The air-liner, which is valued at £30,000, has a maximum speed of 220 miles. It has been christened Bungana," a Tasmanian aboriginal word meaning "chief." The machine is expected to enter the regular services toward the end of next week. Two young women have been engaged to act as air hostesses, and in every detail the service will set standards not previously experienced in Australia.

The arrival of the air-liner emphasises once again the disadvantage under which Melbourne labours in having no central aerodrome. While Essendon is considerably nearer to the heart of Melbourne than Mangere is to the heart of Auckland, nevertheless it i:j felt by a large section here that the State Cabinet is making a regrettablo mistake in refusing to agree to persistent representations for the establishment of a commercial airport on the site known as Fisherman's Bend, a large tract of low-lying land in the bend of the River Yarra, between tho city and Williamstown. Part of the area has already been sold; but sufficient remains for the establishment of an airport. However, fears are entertained that the Cabinet will, be willing to alienate so much of 'the land to firms desiring to establish industrial activities there that in a few yearn the airport project will be < impossible Manufacturing Proposal The Federal Ministry seems to b<) much more alert to the need for aviation development. It has under active consideration a plan to encourage tho manufacture of aircraft in Australia. The extension of air mail services is another question of vital policy. Pending the result of negotiations between the Australian and British Governments regarding the future conduct of the Empire air mail service, the Federal Ministry is engaged in considering such questions as the duplication of oversea and internal connecting services, the reduction of the oversea mail fee and the establishment of fast nigl.t services between the State capita h. Of immediate concern, too, is the development of a bi-weekly air mail service between Australia and New Zealand, and a weekly service between Australia and New Guinea. The news that Pan-American Airways intends to extend the southern branch of its service with New Zealand as the terminal point has stimulated plans for providing an early air link between Australia and New Zealand to give the advantage of accelerated communication with the United States.