PAN AMERICAN CRAFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23413, 1 August 1939, Page 11

PAN AMERICAN CRAFT

SAN FRANCISCO-AUCKLAND

CREW NOW AT POSTS

FORMAL AUTHORITY AWAITED

, Pan American Airways is ready to start preliminary flights to New Zealand in the near future, according to advice received from his principals in the United States by Mr. Harold Gatty, special representative of the company, who is visiting Wellington! The Boeing flying-boat built for the service, the South Seas Clipper; together with her crew, is standing by at San Francisco, aW flights over the South Pacific route will begin as soon as formal approval has been given by the United States Government. Using the Boeing flying-boat, a fortnightly service is contemplated, Mr. Gatty said yesterday. "The distance to be covered is 7952 miles, and the schedule provides for the journey to occupy ,49 flying hours. The service will be operated from San Francisco by way of Los Angeles, Honolulu, Canton Island and New Caledonia to Auckland, he continued. "This new route has been made possible as a result of the long range and very considerable load carrying capacity pf the new Boeings. The machines are capable of carrying up to 30 passengers," Mr. Gatty added, "together with their luggage and two and a-half tons of mail and freight over the longest stages of the new transocean route."