Lae-Pt. Moresby Regular Air
p. 16 · Read in the full issue
Operated Without
Mishap.
Lae-Pt. Moresby Regular Air Service.
THE special air mail trip, Port Moresby to Lae, via the goldfields— or, alternately, Lae to Port Moresby —is being freely used by visitors to New Guinea.
This regular service was established nearly two years ago by Guinea Air ways, Ltd. The big three-motored monoplanes leave Salamaua or Lae on the north-east New Guinea coast, fly up to the goldfield at Wau or Bulolo, and then fly over the great central range (13,000 feet) to Port Moresby. The trip usually takes about 1 hour 45 minutes.
A traveller going to New Guinea may now leave the steamer at Port Moresby, spend some time in Papua, fly over the central range by this ser vice to the goldfield and then, some time later, pick up the same steamer at Lae or Salamaua, and go on to Rabaul and other parts of the Territory. In similar fashion the traveller may go by steamer to Rabaul and Salamaua and leave the vessel there, spend some time on the goldfields, and then fly over the Territories to Port Moresby, and pick up the same steamer for Australia.
When the service was first obtained, there were some fears as to its safety.
It is no mean feat in aviation to climb over those great mountains in all weathers on a regular schedule. The service, however, has been carried out regularly, without mishap, for nearly two years now —not only by Guinea Airways but also by the other two aviation companies operating in this region. It is one of the finest records in the history of aviation.