INCENTIVE GIVEN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20632, 5 June 1935, Page 9

INCENTIVE GIVEN.

Sir C. Kingsford Smith and Tasman Air Service. FORMATION OF COMPANY. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, This Day. In a letter to the “Evening Post,” Sir Charles Kingsford Smith says that the statement by Mr Archdale Parkhill, Minister of Defence for Australia, that the trans-Tasman air service was to be operated by Australians and New Zealanders had given him an incentive to take his experimental work for the last six years a step further by the formation of a developmental company for the purpose of co-ordinating the knowledge that had been gained by previous crossings of the Tasman, dating back to 1928, together with investigations into the operating problems of a regular service that had occupied him such a large amount of his time. “ The company will investigate every phase of the operation of this service, including the determination of the most suitable modern aircraft available, and an analysis of the radio and other equipment best suited to operating conditions,” Sir Charles adds. Speed and Safety. “ The policy of the company is to work towards the provisionof a service giving the highest possible speed and safety, with due regard to the economical limitations of the route. It would appear to be the general opinion that large flying-boats would be ideal for the service, but it must be remembered that the Tasman Sea has a reputation for being a very disturbed section of water, and is an entirely different proposition in so far as the operation of flying-boats is concerned from, for instance, in the water surrounding Honolulu. There are. one or two types of flying-boats being built at the present time which would be suitable for the trans-Tasman service, but their price would be something in the neighbourhood of £IOO,OOO and, unfortunately, there is no compromise. In other words, a flying-boat purchaseable at anything approaching this price would not be of a type able to ride the Tasman Sea in bad weather any better than a land machine fitted with modem floating gear. Prohibitive Cost.

" 'Therefore, although my company would be delighted to operate a service with the big type of flying-boat previously mentioned, it is considered that the cost would be prohibitive in much the same way as Australians and New Zealanders have to be content with ships of a sixth or less tonaage of the liners in use in the trans-Atlantic service. We feel we have to be content in the early stages with an air service within ecomonic limitations of the trans-Tasman traffic. Such a service can be provided at probably 25 per cent cost, capable of making a crossing in seven hours and providing practically the same service as big flying-boats. . This service would, of course, carry mails only for some time. Machines of a suitable type are now available providing for ample marginal safety for mails, inasmuch as they are capable of flying on a full load with one engine out of action, and, further, such a service can be put into operation with a minimum of delay. The policy of the company will be to employ highly skilled Australian and New Zealand pilots and technicians, and, where necessary, these men will be sent overseas for experience, in preference to the importation of personnel from other countries.”