MORE AIR LINES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18758, 11 January 1923, Page 6

MORE AIR LINES

GERMAN COMPETITION. , EUROPEAN SERVICE EXTENSIONS. The situation under which British and French air transport companies run in rivalry with each other between London and Pane, and a British and a Dutch company compete for the traffic between London and Amsterdam, will ore long apply also to Britain and Germany end to France and Germany on loutcs taking in parts of G-er-many (writes Major C. C. Turner, in the Daily Telegraph). Success has attended the efforts of the Air Ministry to come to an agreement with Germany, and the Daimler Air Line, to which, under the new subsidy scheme, the London-Berlin rout© was allotted, will now be able to fly east of Amsterdam, beyond which city they could not at first run their service. The German Government lias also extended the permit to the Instono Air Line to fly to Cologne to tlio end of the present month, and German nir lines are to be permitted to fly over pied Territory. It is understood that German air transport companies will bo permitted to run to London, enjoying tho same facilities as British and French -mcs. inis,however, at present is hardly feasible, on account of the • restrictions imposed by the Committee of Guarantees upon German aircraft construction, limiting commercial aeroplanes in the matter of altitude, speed, ana use-load capacity. These restrictions, although not prohibitive, constitute a ecnous handicap. But it is considered highly probable that tho accommodating spirit shown by the Germans, who arc welcoming

air-line extensions to Berlin, even though operated by British companies, will shortly be rewarded by the revision of the restrictions, and even by their removal. Ins French, who are desirous of extending air lines over German territory, «to not likely to place any obstacle in fhe way of a concession sooner or later inevitable. Although the full result of these arrangements is not likely to be seen before next spring, there is no doubt, that important airline extensions across Europe will then take effect. The Instone Air Lino may extend a service beyond Cologne to Prague. oir W. S. Braucker was recently m that city negotiating with the Czecho-Slovak Government. Prague will eventually become a link on a route to India. This, however, is not the only possible route for air lines to the East; the Handley Page Company, now operating to Paris, may extend their service south to Switzerland and Italy, with a

view to links from Brindisi to Cairo and Bagdad, or from Brindisi io Alexandrotta and Bagdad, and on to Karachi. In sonio respects at the present moment this route offers advantages not possessed by one across Germany to Austria. Sections of it could bo opened up, each section bringing its own contribution in tho way of mails and passengers. Mails from the East aro carried this way, and there should be considerable passenger traffic over any section linking up with the railway services. Much could lie done already, without waiting for air routes

organised for night and day flying; thus it should be possible for the traveller to go from Glasgow to Switzerland by air in one day, transferring to sleeping-car on the railway for tlic night journey through the Alps, and proceeding by aeroplane the following day. INLAND AIR LINE. Neither for tho Traveller nor for mails can full advantage be taken of air transport while it is limited to the metropoli. Happily, a beginning has at last been made with inland air lines in Great Britain. It was a courageous enterprise to start an air line between Manchester and London at tho beginning of winter; and it is doubtful whether this would have been done had not the new subsidies been on the basis of mileage. Under a temporary deprivation of tho opportunity to cover the complete route from London to Berlin, there was a powerful inducement to extend the route on the Eng-

lish side. Despite this factor, and the lack of complete organisation in the matter of emergency landing grounds and of night flying arrangements, the success attained has been remarkable, although the section offers no advantages to travellers who are not proceeding to the Continent. Goods and mails should be the mainstay of the traffic, rather than passengers, who, for some time to come, willl be a fluctuating quantity. This fact was long since recognised and acted upon by the Compagnio Messageries Aerienne, and it is being forced upon flic notice of the British air lines. The types of machine employed have to be carefully considered, and it is satisfactory to note that both British and French lines are effecting improvements. A three-engine machine is being built for the Handley service with n 450 h.p. Napier engine in tho middle and a 340 h.p. Siddelcy on either side. This makes assurance doubly sure, and should put an end io forced landings. As a matter of fact, with the compony’s present two-engine AVBb, I believe there has been only one forced landing due to failure of both engines, a truly remarkable. record. The C.M.A. is next year to have the new Breguet Avion de Transport “Leviathan” with two 450 h.p. Brogue! engines, and this all-metal type will be a notable addition to the cross-Channel fleets At present the C.M.A. has extensions soufh to Spain and Africa, and eastwards to Vienna and Constantinople. It docs a great deal of mailcarrying for the very progressive French post office.