AIR SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND

Southland Times, Issue 23380, 11 December 1937, Page 7

AIR SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND

BOEING CLIPPERS FOR PACIFIC RUN

CRUISING SPEED OF 150 MILES AN HOUR

(United Press Assn. —Telegraph Copyright)

(Received December 10, 6.30 p.m.)

SAN FRANCISCO, December 9. The manager of the Pan-American Pacific Coast office has told the Associated Press to expect an official announcement on the New Zealand service soon. The chief difficulty wa. lack of equipment, but six Boeing Clippers, described as the largest in America, were being built at Seattle for PanAmerican Airways, and two were nearly ready. It is expected that the first Clipper will be available early in February. These machines will be 109 feet long, with 152 feet wingspan, and will weigh 42 tons. They accommodate 75 passengers and have a top speed of 200 miles an hour and a cruising speed of 150 miles an hour. The fact that Congress has not made an appropriation of funds for the Antipodes mail contract cannot be interpreted as nullifying the Pan-American plans. Pan-American Airways have been operating to Bermuda for eight months without a mail contract. Speaking of co-operation with Imperial Airways Mr Walton said: “We have long collaborated technically, but have not arranged joint operation. The matter is 1 a function of the Government and the Inter-Department commission.”

ALTERATION NOT EXPECTED

NO FURTHER ADVICE ON SURVEY FLIGHT

(Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, December 10. “ThL statement is exactly in line with our plans all along,” said Mr H. Gatty, special representative of PanAmerican Airways in New Zealand and Australia, when the message from San Francisco was referred to him. “Nothing has happened to change our original plam, and we do not expect any alteration.” Mr Gatty said he had received no advice from the company concerning the forthcoming survey flight from Honolulu to Auckland since the message announcing that the Clipper would not leave Honolulu before December 15 and was expected at Auckland about December 19. It was not likely there would be any further communication until shortly before the flight began, as the date had been announced and preparations made. “The base in Auckland is nearing completion and we are waiting only for the radio equipment that was overcarried to Sydney and which is being brought back by the Monterey on Monday,” Mr Gatty added. “We hope to have the installation at Russell completed by about the middle of next week.”