BRITISH AIRWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1932, Page 6

BRITISH AIRWAYS

NEW -MACHINES AND ROUTES

FASTER SERVICES MOOTED

LONDON, March 22,

The opening of new air-lines; the putting into operation of large and more luxurious aircraft; accelerations to the continent and across the Empire ; traffic increases in both passengers and mails; and establishment of a new terminus from which 13,009 miles of organised air-linos are now controlled —such, in spite of the difficult conditions which prevailed, were among the achievements of British air transport in 1931. Statistics now available, covering the period from January-December 1931, show that during these twelve months tile aircraft of Imperial Airways flew a total of 1,510,867 miles, and carried 30,581 passengers and 1,664,970 His of mails and freight. An outstanding event, early in the year, was the institution of the first 5,000 miles of the 8,000 miles airline from England to South Africa, and this route has just been completed, enabling air-loads to he carried from London to Capetown in not more than 11 days.

Important, also, as' further proofs of the value of long distance air transport, were the experimental flights by Imperial Airways along the 10,009 miles between England and 'Australia. Two test mail services in each direction were reported to a 15-days’ schedule, and now a scheme is before the authorities for a weekly England-Aus-tralia air-mail, the time-table for such a regular service reckoned at from 11 to 12 days.

Significant in the light they threw upon future deveopments. in lung distance commercial flying, were preliminary discussions between Imperial Airways, the French Aeropostale Company, and Pan-American Airways with a view to the possibility of operating, a.s soon as technical and other progress may permit, an air-mail between Europe and North America, via the Azores and Burma.

On the England-lndia air-mail, which during it's first period in 1929 operated to a schedule of 7J days, the summer time-table of 1931 was so, expedited that the mails were flown through from London to Karachi in only 2 hours over 5 days; while the winter time-table, owing to shortenings in sections of the route, did not exceed 6 days.

Not only as regards operational progress, hut also in aircraft equipment, 1931 proved a year of exceptional progress, for during this period Imperial Airways were taking delivery of their new four-engiimd aeroplanes and flying-boats. Eight of the former. ,„crafi). each., developing 2,290 h.p., have now been delivered, and constitute a fleet of the largest and

most luxurious passenger aircraft in the world; while three new fourengined all-metal Hving-hoats, each weighing when fully loaded just on 14 tons, are ju successful operation 011 Mediterranean sections of the Empire air-lines. During 1931, also, so as to ensure accelerations on the Cairo-Cape route, Imperial Airways placed orders for eight monoplane air-liners. Mach of these machines is to he driven bv its four engines at a maximum of 140 or 150 miles-an-hour, ancl will cruise at 120 miles-an-hour. With those machines operating between Cairo and the Cape, the total time of an air journey from London to Capetown will not he more than about 9 da vs.

When, during the present year, these new monoplane air-liners are added to the Imperial Airways fleet, the Company will he operating 41 aircraft, developing a total of 58,000 horse-power. Durino the summer of 1931 the headquarters and Loudon terminus of Imperial Airways were moved from Charles Street, Lower Regent Steet, to large new premises—equipped luxuriously for passengers—adjoining the Southern (Continental) Railway station at Victoria, S.W.I. This change, in addition to giving air and rail passengers one conveniently-sit-uated departure and arrival point, algo shortens car journeys to and ftimi the Croydon air-port—a fact which combined with the use of the new and faster 4-eugined air-liners, has enabled 20 minutes to, he saved o n a flying journey between London and Baris the present total time, including ground connections, being only 3 hours 35 minutes from the Westend of London to the centre of Baris. Britain’s ahondonnieiit of the gold Standard, with the increase which this implied in coiitental rail and boat faros, has, in many instances, meant that air travel, with its greater speed is actually cheaper than the fastest first-class surface transport. This fact, together with the popularity of tlu l big luxury-planes, has led to remarkable increases in the numbers of air-borne passengers. In .Deiember 1931, as an example, 1,048 passengers crossed the Channel by air in Imperial Airways craft an increase of approximately 100 per cent, as compared with the same period for the previous year.

A gratifying feature of the year’s Ira Hie was the growth in the volume of air-borne mails. On I lie MnglandIndia route loads increased to more than 45,000 letters a week; while the new African air-lme traffic also showed a brisk ami satisfactory growth. AI logoi her,' during 1931, more than 52 tons of let tors were air-home mil of ihis country, an increase of 29 ncr cent, over 1930, and of 74 per rent, over 1929. By way of summary, il may he smd, that in this remarkable air year of

IP.'il our commercial aircraft flow luster and faster, carried bigger paying loads, than at any previous phase of progress, while in respect of sal'etv ami dependability ibo previous high factors were well maintained.