EMPIRE AIR ROUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1933, Page 8

EMPIRE AIR ROUTE

SPEED OF PLANES CRITICISED.

DUTCH AND FRENCH SERVICES.

LONDON, November 11

While British’ aviation authorities are emphatic that the policy " adopted by Imperial Airways Ltd., of carrying passengers and mails together

‘accounts for the comparative slowness of the services—as passengers , insist on comfort, and dislike night 'flying—an official of K.L.M. (Royal Dutch air line) told the special representative of the Sydney' ‘‘Sun” that the Dutch were planning faster services, with increased comfort for passengers and no night flying. Next year, he said,' it .was hoped to employ new passenger aeroplanes with retractable undercarriages al] d streamlined bodies that would carry seven or eight passengers at a cruising speed of 165 or a maximum speed of 180 miles an hour.

The experimental flight in which the crack Dutch pilot, M. Geysendprfer, will try to reach Batavia (8300 miles), in .three and a half days, w’ll be made in n Pander aeroplane. - ' The K.L.M. will lend a relief pilot and has instructed its agents-along the route to afford the airmen every assistance. ■

If the trial is successful, and later flights demonstrate the : possibility of regular mail flights to, Batavia in three and a half days f .the K;L.M. may reverse their policy of carrying passengers and mails together,.and send them separately, as do the Americans, whose mail aeroplanes cross the ‘United States in 101 hours, averaging more than 200 miles an hour.

Some authorities, in criticising the backwardness of,British aviation, point out that France is sending a new aeroplane to Saigon, that will enable the journey between London and Calcutta to be made in three days, and that the new German Junkers aeroplane has « greater range, speed, and capacity than the best British commercial aeroplanes, and .yet is economical and comfortable.

SIR KEITH SMITH’S VIEWS.

U S. ORGANISATION PRAISED

LONDON, November 10

“It would be most exasperating for passengers if the Dutch machine passed them, reached Batavia, and then met them again on its way back to Europe,’’ said Sir Keith Smith, on his arrival at Croydon to-day, commenting r on the proposed schedule of the England-to-Australia air mail. ‘

Sir Keith, who had flown to Europe in a Dutch air-liner, said that the journey had convinced him that the service to Australia would have to be most efficient. J‘\ met Him in Singapore,” lie said. “Vickers, Ltd., had entrusted him with letters to me, knowing that .they, would notbe delivered unless. be. maintained his record-breaking schedule. “Ulm justified that i confidence. The brilliance of his flight is not fully recprrnisod by.the public. ! “While my business in England is of a private nature. I willbe- most,interested to hear of British plans for the Melbourne centenary, air race.” • Speaking further of the EnelancTAustralia service, Sir Keith said that American aviation was an example to the. Empire. Americans had realised that traffic, followed the provision of facilities ; this was common sense., .An air authority questioned agreed with Sir Keith’s praise i of American efficiency,. and declared that the Australian air mail service ought to be planned for five years ahead, with the fastest machines employed. British . manufacturers were preparing blueprints for fast aeroplanes for the centenary race in the event of a philanthropist contributing tc the cost. They had not the incentive to do more. . \

The Imperial Airways policy of carrying mails and passengers together was unwise, lie said.