AIR TRAVEL

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1931, Page 7

AIR TRAVEL

SPECIALLY CHARTERED AEROPLANES

AERIAL AMBULANCES. LONDON, April 10. Almost oyery day now, .Imperial Airways officials pick up their telephones to hoar urgently-worded calls For speei ally-chartered aircraft to fly long distances, at a moment's notice at a pace more than twice that of surface transport. These “air specials,”by the •sheer speed at which they fly above land and sea, extricate people from predicaments in away no other vehicle could

The other morning a wealthy merchant arrived in a taxi at Easton to see, steaming out of the station, the train connecting at Liverpool with ins boat for West Africa. It was imperative that he should catch the boat, but he found that no other train would get him there in time.

hi this emergency lie called up Imperial Airways, and by the time lie had motored to the aerodrome at Cro> don, an air-taxi stood waiting for him with propadlors already revolving, .Turning into its comfortable saloon, he sped off through the air and reached Liverpool in time for his boat. S.O.S. BROADCAST. A real-life drama of an aerial rush by relatives to some distant sick-’oec! can often be found chronicled, nowadays, in the records of Imperial Airways ; while it sometimes happens that wireless lends an added thrill to one o! these modern dramas of speed. In the South of France a patient lay at the point o'f death, and it was spoc-arr.y desired that a relative, whose whereabout could not lie ascertained, should see that sufferer before lie died. An S.O.S. was broadcast from a French wireless station. This was picked up and relayed by London, and was listened to, and acted upon instantly, by the person for whom it was intended, and who was then in the Channel Islands. By steamer, aeroplane and train, the traveller sped across Europe and was rewarded for a breathless rush by arriving just in time. Often the saloon of a big Imperial passenger areoplane is converted into an aerial ambulance. Here is a typical case. It was desired that a sufferer from a graye spinal complaint should be moved from London for treatment abroad. The shocks and vibrations of a long journey by land and sea would probably have been fatal, but, lying on a bed which had been bung on shock-absorbing springs in the aeroplane’s saloon, this patient flew in perfect comfort above the Channel accomplishing in 2.J- hours what would have been a long and dangerous journey by boat and train. The use of a flying ambulance is. as a matter of fact, growing greatly in favour among physicians desiring to send sick people across the Channel, for treatment. Patients can undertake a smooth, swift aerial journey when their condition would prohibit any idea of surface travel. SAVING OF HOURS. The air- traffic experts of Imperial Airways are ready for any and every emergency. The other day a wireless message came from a liner approaching Cherbourg from America. It was from a business man who wished to- reach London for an important appointment Promptly a “taxiplano” was dispatched from London to Cherbourg. After alighting there, the pilot went out. > the liner in a fast motor-boat took bis passenger aboard, and brought lilm swiftly to land. Then be was transferred to the waiting aeroplane and in an astounding short space c.T tone found himself glding down at Croydon with a motor-car waiting to take him up to the West End. Another instance of high-speed work was provided recently when an urgent load, consigned to America, arrived one evening at the Louden airport m. one of the big Armstrong-Siddeley mail-aeroplanes. Within a few minutes of its arrival, it was transferred to a waiting air-taxi and flown from Croydon as far as the Old Sarunl aerodrome where it was transferred to a motor-car and rushed cn to Plymouth. Arrived there it was put aboard a speed-boat, which dashed out just in time to catch a liner outward-bound for New York. By this use of aeroplane motor-car and speed-boat, several days were sayed, as compared with normal means, in the arrival of the goods at their destination in the United' States.