AIRCRAFT EXPANSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 March 1941, Page 5

AIRCRAFT EXPANSION

TERRIFIC RATE ACHIEVED IN AMERICA BOMBERS FOR BRITAIN CROSS ATLANTIC. , FORMER DAZZLING PERFORMANCES TRIFLING. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 6. Captain Rickenbacker, president of Eastern Air Lines and a famous Great War airman, is steadily recovering from critical injuries received in a crash at Atlanta last week. In a notable article in an aviation number of “Fortune" he states: Hitherto the commercial air transport industry seemed to be the final word in United States aviation, both in magnitude and efficiency but in “forcing a house war” the industry is expanding at such a terrific rate that all previous conceptions of air operations are dwarfed and outmoded. Even now, United States bombers destined for Britain are secretly but regularlyspanning the Atlantic on schedules making the formerly dazzling perform > ance of Pan-American Airways seem tentative and trifling. The fast buildingup of a fleet of long-range cargo and troop carriers, many times the size of the combined United States transport fleets and the whole technique of flight operations are being rapidly pushed up. Captain Rickenbacker predicts that the post-war surplus of planes will be used. to carry all first class mail, for which will be utilised 10.000 transport aircraft as compared with 300 at present and 80.000 pilots, as compared with 2,000. Captain Rickenbacker’s dreams bring together all peoples on earth by’ aviation and ensure peace by’ annihilating racial, geographic and economic barriers.