TRUNK AIR SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 22142, 24 September 1935, Page 14

TRUNK AIR SERVICE

GREAT PACIFIC SECURES LATEST AVROS SERVICE CONTINGENT ON SUBSIDY [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, September 23. An announcement that three Avro 652 aeroplanes had been ordered for the trunk air service to be conducted between Auckland and Dunediu by Great Pacific Airways (New Zealand) Ltd. was made to-day by Mr Trevor y Withers, organiser of the-company, at a sitting of the Transport Co-ordina-tion .Board. Cabled advice •to tins effect was received from Mr E. 1. IHsk, of Australia,'director of tbe company, who has been investigating airways in the .United States and Great Britain in the past four months. Mr Withers stated that, provided prompt delivery of the aeroplanes could be obtained, the company should be feadv to commence operations about •next June or July. It was left for the board to fix the provisional date by which the company should commence operations. ‘ , . , ■, ■ The Avro 652, which is designed and constructed at Manchester, is a lowwing monoplane,' with' two feiddeley “ Cheeta ” engines and a retractable under-carriage. It has a cruising sliced'of 165 miles an horn- and-a top Sneed of 195'miles an hour. The cost, lauded'in New Zealand, fully equipped will be about £IO,OOO each. The .normal internal -arrangement is for six passengers, with separate baggage •accommodation. The cabin is sufficiently largo to accommodate the six passengers in luxurious comfort, and is .furnished with roomy armchair seats. The crew of two are provided ’ with a separate cabin, with full'dual control. This cockpit, which is totally enclosed, is forward of the leading edge of the wing. * “ This machine is the very‘ latest thing in aircraft, and was only designed this year,” said Mr Withers. “It has proved, remarkably successful, the first two machines having been ordered by Imperial Airways. So impressive were they that 174 of them _ have been ordered by the Royal Air Force for bombing and reconnaissance work. Ihe fact that -the aeroplanes -used in the New Zealand 1 trunk service will be readily convertible for defensive, purposes will be of great value -to the Dominion. My company will maintain not only.a fleet of-fast aircraft, but also a ‘staff of highly-trained pilots, ground engineers, and aircraftsmen. All of the organisation will be immediately available in the event of/ war.” The operation of a trunk service, Mr Withers added, would he contingent upon the granting of a Government subsidy cither in the form of a- infill contract or otherwise. Now .that tbe matter of aircraft tyoe had 1 .been decided, it would shortly;be-possible to prepare and submit subsidy proposals to the Government. : These would provide for precedence being given to the carriage of first-class mails, and would call for a very much lower subsidy per mile than that paid*in many other countries. . • ': ■

“ Mv directors and I are quite confident,” said Mr. Withers./* that these subsidy;proposals will receive early and favourable consideration. There js a general and widespread recognition throughout the Dominion- as to the value of a trunk air service, and from tlie, postal and defensive viewpoints alone such a service obviously justifies the granting of a subsidy.” As soon as a trunk service was established, added Mr Withers, Great Pacific Airways would inaugurate a I'ast Auck-land-Rotorua service. • It was also intended later to operate fast direct services between Auckland. Wellington. Christchurch, and Dunedin.