AIR EXPRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24753, 1 November 1941, Page 14

AIR EXPRESS

A POST-WAR SERVICE GATWICK TO AUCKLAND INTERESTING SPECULATION . (0.C.) LONDON, Sept. 9. The possibility of establishing a post-war Empire air service that will enable an airliner to reach Auckland 2 days 4 hours 20 minutes after leav- \ ing Gatwick, near London, is discussed by Mr John W. Morrison in Flight, the official organ of the Royal Aero Club. After commenting oh the type of aircraft that could be used, Mr Morrison Say s that the overall speed during such a flight tp Auckland, inclusive of intermediate stops, would be 243.5 m.p.h. The total flying time would be 43 hours 5 minutes, and the time on the ground at intermediate stopping places 9 hours * 25 rillnutes. ■ " ■ “ The future British Empire express airliner will be designed around the finest and most powerful British aero engines available after the war," he says. “It would be foolish at this juncture to attempt to give the output , of our most powerful engine in 194?. but I can say with conviction that an output of. 2600 b.h.p. at 26,000 ft. with 3000 ,b.h.p. available for take-off. is indicated for the Empire express routes. “A four-engined airliner with a power loading of 8,?lb/b.h.p., a wing loading of 47ilb/sq. ft., and 3000 b.h.p. engines would have a gross weight of 105,0001 b and 2210 sq. ft. of wing area. The speed with mid-wing arrangement would be around 400 m.p.h. at 28,000 ft at 94.0001 b mean gross weight.” A crew of five could be carried, .20 passengers, and 24501 b of maih A Two-day Trip Mr Morrison suggests that the route could be: Gatwick, , Alexandria. Karachi, Bombay, Singapore, Darwin, Sydney, Auckland. Over the last stage, from Sydney to Auckland, less fuel and oil would be required for the shorter ‘‘ hop,’,’ resulting in the possibility of carrying 32 passengers and 45001 b of mail. “ How fast could the Empire Express fly over the route Gatwick-Auckland? What is the minimum time?” Mr Morrison asks. “The publicity value of a purely record-making flight might well be worthy of serious attention. To prepare the machine for a sprint over the course would involve the removal of all furnishings from the cabin and the installation of extra fuel-tanks to bring the total fuel capacity up to 3850 imperial gallons. “The all-up weight in overload condition would be 65,0001 b, and the range at a mean cruising speed of 350 m.p.h would now be around 6000 miles, sufficient for a flight to Australia with only one intermediate stop, preferably at Bombay, with a non-stop flight from Darwin to Auckland. Allowing 1 hour. 13 minutes on the ground for refuelling we get the extraordinary time of 1 day 15 hours at an oveh-all average speed of 323 m.p.h. A round-the-world flight could be completed in three and a-half days. “Not unnaturally, the Empire Air Express will not be everybody’s idea of travel de luxe, despite the best efforts of decorative artists and furnishing experts to provide for the comfort and general sense of well-being of passengers. For some time after the inauguration of the service it is probable that only mail and freight would be carried, and then, perhaps, a few business men or Government officials on urgent matters. Quick Service "It might take a number of years to work up a respectable passenger list for eahh flight. But the fact of it being possible to get a reply from a letter written to someone in Australia apd New Zealand within a week would alone justify such a service. Quite apart from mails, an increasing number of parcels will, in the future, go by air. “As already indicated, the frequency of service will be greater with medium-size air-liners than with aerial giants. With the former equipment, daily departures for the Antipodes are indicated, thus giving the travelling and corresponding public an impeccable service. With the service envisaged, I do not doubt but that the number of letters written will increase vpry substantially.”