REPLACEMENT OF CLIPPER

Southland Times, Issue 23408, 15 January 1938, Page 5

REPLACEMENT OF CLIPPER

Giant New Machine For N.Z. Service

ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY COMPANY

TEST FLIGHTS LIKELY IN MARCH

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received January 14, 8.35 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, January 14.

One of the largest and molt powerful ocean-spanning aeroplanes will probably replace the Samoan Clipper within a few months. Officials of PanAmerican Airways state that a machine carrying up to 72 passengers is being especially built for the route and will be ready for test flights in March. , _ The Assistant Secretary for Commerce, Mr J. Monroe Johnson, having jurisdiction over the Air Commerce Bureau, said he saw no reason why the accident to the Samoan Clipper should retard the plans to establish a transAtlantic air service. In the first place the Samoan Clipper was not flying to a passenger schedule and in the second place she was not the latest type of ship Pan-American Airways intends to put on the Honolulu-New Zealand and trans-Atlantic services. He said he had been informed that the Samoan Clipper was assigned only temporarily to the Ho'nolulu-New Zealand run until the bigger Boeing fly-ing-boats could be put in operation. Pan-American Airways had to make a flight to New Zealand and back by January 1 before it secured the air mail contract from the New Zealand Government. Its agreement with the Government required that they must have the route established by the beginning of the year. Thus, to complete the flight in time Pan-American Airways had put the Samoan Clipper into the service.

NORMAL ROUTINE AT AUCKLAND RELIEF FOR CHIEF RADIO OPERATOR WEATHER REPORTS STILL BEING COLLATED

(United Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 14.

The officers of Pan-American Airways in Auckland carried out their duties as usual today. The normal routine was completed both at the company’s base in Mechanics’ Bay and at the Auckland radio station. Flags at half-mast on the airport building and the absence of the now familiar wide wing of the clipper near the landing barge were the only signs of the disaster that resulted in the loss of both the crew and the ship on Wednesday. With aviation companies in particular, a crash, no matter how disastrous, is never permitted to throw the whole mechanism of enterprise out of gear. Radio communication between Auckland and Pago Pago was maintained during the usual prearranged hours and routine details, including weather information, were signalled. The chief operator, Mr A. L. Charman, who was on duty day and night while the news of the clipper was being awaited, was relieved today by his assistant. The operator stationed at Russell has been temporarily recalled to share the duties at the Auckland station.

As though there had been no interruption of the newly established air service down the South Pacific, the meteorologist in Auckland, Mr E. B. Buxton, went about his work as usual. Reports received from outlying points were collated in the weather map and the results passed on. It is essential that there should be no break in the weather history of the South Pacific and results of the daily observations form an essential part. DUMPING OF PETROL Mr Harold Gatty said today that he personally had seen petrol dumped from aeroplanes many times in the earlier stages of commercial aviation and it had been done without mishap. This was so even where the exhaust pipes were close to the dump valves. In his opinion the danger of petrol fumes exploding in the open air was practically negligible. The clipper’s dumo valves were actually not near the exhaust.

“However, it is no use speculating as to the origin of the fire’ as the disaster might have happened on any flying route in the world,” he said. Mr Gatty continued to receive today many messages of sympathy from all parts of New Zealand and also from Australia. He expressed his deep appreciation and said the messages would be forwarded to the wives or relations of the commander, Captain Edwin C. Musick, and the crew. He appreciated too, the confidence which had been shown in the future of the service. He stated tonight that Pan-American Airways had not advised him of its future policy for the Pacific route, but he would be advised when the company reached a decision.

TRIBUTE BY CAPTAIN BURGESS

MELBOURNE, January 14.

Captain Burgess, paying a tribute to Captain Musick, said that the world had lost one of its greatest airmen. “It is a sad day for us,” he added.