AERIAL HIGHWAYS

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 8

AERIAL HIGHWAYS

PROSPECTS IN NEW ZEALAND. SUGGESTED AERODROMES. Tho projected air service in New. Zealand fe beginning to assumo more practical shape. Lieutenant-colonel Vere Bettington, C.M.G., R.A.F., the special expert sent out by the Imperial Government to report *upon the military, naval, and civil aspects of aviation in New Zealand, is now making his investigations,- and two Bristol fighters and two D.H. 4's (aerial limousines), accompanied by expert mechanics, will arrive in New Zealand (shortly. Colonel Bettington in his report will deal specially with the aerial postal service, which was spoken of by Sir Joseph Ward before his departure from New Zealand. Important developments, consequently, are expected in the near future (says the Wellington Post). CENTRAL SCHOOL OF FLYING. In a speech recently Major-general Sir F. H. Sylces (Controller-general of Civil' Aviation) to the Australian and New Zealand Luncheon Club on "Some Empire Aspects of Commercial Aviation," said each dominion should endeavour to establish a central school at which flying, navigation, meteorology, photography, etc., should be taught on corresponding lines. As types of machines improved replacements should be made on a proportionate scale, and interchange of personnel should take place, so that training and methods generally might bo co-ordinated. THE ALL-RED AIR ROUTE. \

"My audience," he said, "will be particularly interested in the routes to the East and Australasia, which, I can assure you, have had most careful consideration. . We have been for some time engaged in mapping out the stages of the aerial route to Australia from Cairo to Karachi, Singapore,

and via the Sunda Islands. You will have read that carefully-planned pioneer flights along the route as far as Karachi, Delhi, and Calcutta have already been made, and as a result experiences of the utmost value have been gained. The question which now arises is where the first landing-place in Australia shall be. At present we are inclined/to believe that this should be in tho vicinity of Wyndham. MELBOURNE TO NEW ZEALAND "VIA TASMANIA. "Here we should establish an 'Air Harbour,' and from that place'our air route should carry us to our next stopping-plnco for rest and replenishment at Normanton. Having crossed a. difficult lino of country, we now follow th 6 line of railway through Queensland and New South Wales to Melbourne. Utilising Melbourne as a centre, services could be established through South and West Australia to Perth as a subcentro, and from there lines could travel northwards to the neighbourhood of the Do Grey River, and thence on through the' Kimberley district back to Wyndham. "From Melbourne a route rvrald eventually be established via Tasmania to New Zealand. FLYING BOATS FOR NEW ZEALAND. "The establishment of postal services by aeroplane, assisted in the case of New Zealand by flying boats, is quite a practicable proposition, and one which the dominions will no doubt put in hand at an early date. New Zealand, owing to the length of her coastline, presents special problems, and great use can probably be made of flying boats. LIKELY PLACES FOR AERODROMES. "With the information at present available it is suggested that the following places, situated as they arc at convenient spots round the islands, may be selected for tho establishment of aerodromes for commercial and postal purposes. In the North Island such aerodromes might be

established at or near Auckland, New Plymouth, Napier, Wanganui, Wellington, and in the South Island at or near Nelson, Blenheim, Greymouth, Hokitika, Christchurch, Dunedin, the neighbourhood of Resolution Island, and Invercargill. When later aerial . communication between New Zealand and j Australia has been established the two air | services will be able to work in close touch, i "Australia and New Zealand will no doubt I lose no time in building up their own air- ) craft industries, but it will be essential

j to have without delay one or two up-to-date [ and well-equipped aircraf#depots to receive ! und erect machines and engines which can ! be obtained as the result of the war from I England. These depots should be capable | of handling both aeroplanes and lighter- | thun-aircraft. *. ! FOUR AIRCRAFT PARKS REQUIRED. j "They would also supply a number of I aircraft parks, which, in Australia, might ! well be established at Sydney, Melbourne, ' Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Wyndham, and ! other places ,and in New Zealand at Christ--1 church, Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin. : But all this will best be studied on the ! spot, and after the Governments have de- ' cided upon the broad lines of their policies. ! "The success of. commercial flying must depend on the maintenance of reliable and up-to-date meteorological and wireless stations, and che information obtained from these stations must be coordinated and organised under State regulations as to the maintenance, mapping, and necessary lighting of all the recognised trade routes. "There is, without doubt, a great future for aviation, both in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia aircraft provide the solution of the difficult problem of bridging the immense distances which separate one district from .aether, and in New Zealand flying boats will enable rapid coastal communication to bo established. It must be faced that, particularly in the early stages, aerial transport will be expensive in com-

parison with other methods, but one must pay for speed." t