Trans-Pacific

Air Mails

Two Services Now Quickly Taking Shape

THE plans of British Imperial Airways and of Pan American Airways to establish regular trans-Pacific air services are coming rapidly into shape.

It is expected that a weekly service—if not a twice-weekly service, both ways— between Sydney and Auckland, will be in augurated in October; and, if present in tentions are carried out, survey flights by British Imperial Airways flying-boats, between Auckland and Suva, will be made in September or October.

The next step will be the commence ment of a regular service, linking Sydney and Auckland with North America.

It is not clear yet whether this is to be provided by the British and Americans, in competition; or in co-operation; or whether the service will be left entirely to American enterprise. Present indica tions favour the latter plan—first, because the British do not appear to have avail able machines capable of making those trans-Pacific hops, and, secondly, because Pan American Airways do claim to have machines available, and have been very active, since 1935, in pioneering and or ganising the route. The “China Clipper”, in March, 1937, made a test flight from Honolulu to Auckland, via Kingman Reef and Pago Pago; but the next survey flight ended in disaster, on January 11, 1938, when the “Samoa Clipper” was destroyed in an explosion near Samoa.

PAN American Airways, in recent weeks, have laid down air bases at Canton Island (north of Samoa) and at Noumea; and on July 30 they made formal appli cation in Washington to run a regular fortnightly airmail service, with Boeing machines, between Los Angeles-Honolulu- Canton Island - Noumea - Auckland, and stated that thev would start the service as soon as official permission was granted.

The hops would be;

The New Zealand Government, on July 11, announced that P.A.A. had been given permission (in terms of the agreement between P.A.A. and the N.Z. Government) to change the route from Kingman-Pago Pago to that stated; and it was also said that ‘the company had undertaken to make experimental flights to Suva as a port of call should it be found practicable to do so from the technical and opera tional points of view.”

It was stated that British Imperial Air ways also have the right to use the Noumea seaplane base.

IF the foregoing is correct—and it ap pears to be official —it means that Suva, as well as Noumea, will be linked with Australia, New Zealand, New Cale donia, Honolulu and North Ameiica by one, if not both services, and will become an important station on the seaplane routes. At one time, it seemed that Suva would be out of it all.

The new services, also are going to make a great difference to Noumea.

Hitherto, although the largest Pacific

Islands town south of the eqquator, Nou mea has been isolated, and in a sort of backwater, owing to the inadequacy of its communications. Now, it will take its rightful place, beside Suva, in the South Pacific aviation network.

It may be noted, at this stage, that the establishment of Noumea, as an import ant trans-Pacific seaplane station, justi fies the announcement of the “P.1.M.”, made about the middle of 1938. that such a plan had been made. The announce ment was greeted then with derision, in Australia and New Zealand —probably be cause it was taken to mean that the P.A.A. machines would fly from Noumea to Australia (only 700 miles further west) instead of to New Zealand. But P.A.A. have not even yet, received permission to fly from Noumea or Auckland to Aus tralia.

On present indications, it seems that there will be a race between Imperial Airways flying-boat “Aotearoa”, from Auckland, and the Pan American Air ways Boeing flying-boat “South Seas Clipper”, from Canton Island or Noumea, to make the first call at Suva. Whichever is first, the other will not be far behind.

Los Angeles-Honolulu .. .. 2561 miles Honolulu-Canton Island .. 1913 Canton Island-Noumea .. 1989 Noumea-Auckland 1124