CHEAP TRAVEL BY AIR

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1929, Page 7

CHEAP TRAVEL BY AIR

. SHILLING A MILE IN ENGLAND. An air-taxi service at one shilling a mile figures in the plans of National Flying Services, Ltd., a new organisation which has undertaken aviation on a large scale in England. The. company is primarily engaged in instruction . and pleasure flying, and its opening programme provided for the acquisition of 12 light aeroplanes for instruction work at Hamworth Park, Middlesex. Th 7 * immediate organisation involves the v jra- " tion of 100 light .machines with reserve aircraft and'engines.

Arrangements are being made for 22 national air parks at important centres,a.nd 100 intermediate landing grounds.The selections have been made so that the grounds will be within 15 minutes’ flying of one another, .Fifty flying instructors are to be employed, and dual in(.ruc'iqn will cost £2 an hour. Solo instruction will, be given at £1 15s an hour, and it is expected to turn out certified pilots for aggregate fees ranging from £29 to £45.

Machines in charge of highly-skilled pilots will be kept at each central aero- * drome for hire by a single passenger at i one shilling a mile. It is the aim of the organisation to train hundreds of private I pilots, who will afterwards be able to hire the company’s machines on the I “drive yourself”systcni. The users will 1 be able to fly to any part of the country and leave the machines in safe keeping at the authorised aerodromes. A flight of [2OO miles will ..cost the . private pilot - about £3 10s, or less than motor-car hire' rates.