Training For DC8s May Be Done In Christchurch

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30469, 17 June 1964, Page 8

Training For DC8s May Be Done In Christchurch

"The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, June 16. Unless a date for the opening of the Auckland international airport at Mangere can be fixed soon Tasman Empire Airways may carry out training on its new Douglas DCB jet airliners at either Christchurch or Nandi, tn Fiji. The first of the airliners are now under construction and the tentative delivery date is in September, 1965. This cannot be altered unless more than a year’s notice is given to the Douglas company.

The delivery of the two other DCBs will follow at 30day intervals. And because Electra aircrew have to be withdrawn for conversion to pure jets, no undue delay can be tolerated in bringing the new machines into service to replace the Electras. T.E.A.L. officials are keeping a close watch on developments at Mangere, now complicated by the shortage of cement.

Flight instructors and flight engineer instructors will begin their ground training toward the end of this year when a flight training school will be -it up. They will next year attend a finishing school at the Douglas works before they start conversion, to flying the jets. This part is expected to take two or three weeks.

The instructors will then undertake the delivery flight of the first DCS, bringing to New Zealand additional instructors from the Douglas company.

A number of Electra crews will be withdrawn for the two weeks’ conversion to the new aircraft, which will then go into service in place of an Electra. In this way, continuity of passenger services will be maintained. ft is hoped that the new airport will have sufficient equipment installed when the first DCS arrives for the flying training of the new crews to begin. If a short. delay in the readiness date at Mangere can be foreseen, the training will be undertaken at Christchurch or Nandi, but if the delay is likely to be a long one, the Electra crews could not be withdrawn without disrupting services.

'After all the necessary, aircrews have been converted to DCBs, the instructors will continue the regular checking of the pilots* competence. This is undertaken twice a year when emergency procedures are checked when the aircraft is not carrying passengers. An Electra aircraft and the requisite number of crew members will be retained to provide Tasman services for Wellington and Melbourne for at least a year. The T.E.A.L. DCSs will incorporate a special modification for transporting a fifth engine under the wing in case another of the fleet has trouble.