SPEED IN THE AIR

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1933, Page 8

SPEED IN THE AIR

FAST SERVICES IN AMERICA

NEW YORK, August 21

An aeroplane speed war to capture the passenger traffic across the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific is developing with the arrival of machines with speeds of 170 miles an hour

Two years ago the east and west coasts were brought within twenty-four hours of each other for merchandise dispatch.

Now . passengers can do the same journey in sixteen hours. “We shall shortly, he placing new all-metal types of planes on our rouncs/ said - Mr T. • Park, Hay, of Transcontinental and Western Airways, of which Colonel Lindbergh is a director. “The fastest is a single-motored plane carrying eight passengers at 170 miles m.p. h.. Night flying in this country is high ly organised. Forty, per . cent of our passenger travelling is done by night. ‘■There- is a ~system, of direction lights ten miles apart across the the country, ..and. if, a .machine is flying at SOOO feet- the pilot can see three lights at once ahead of himi,” The air ‘‘war” does not extend to the mail services, each - company serv-ing-different routes. Last year the Government gave nineteen million dollars in air mail:subsidy this year it will be only fifteen million dollars. The subsidy is divided, among, ten companies, which, together, serve 170,cities. ,‘,‘A.t present ..we are flying at 130 miles.an hour,” said, Mr Stanley Hedburg, of United Air, Lines, “but with our new planes, being delivered at the rate of one ; a day, >ve shall do, 170 miles-.” , ' • r.

When United Air Lines announced it wanted thirteen more- stewardesses for its Tnulti-in-otored passenger transports, 1500 girls applied. .