Service Resumed
p. 17 · Read in the full issue
Noumea-N. Hebrides
THE New Caledonian air transport com pany TRAP AS (Societe Francaise de Transports Aeriens du Pacifique Sud) recommenced its twice-a-week service be tween Noumea and the New Hebrides in August.
Owing to the fact that the Magenta airfield is under repair, the Co. is obliged to use its amphibians for departure from Noumea harbour; and consequently it has to vary its time of departure in accor rance with the high tide. That makes a fixed schedule impossible at present.
Sometimes the first departure of the week is at the beginning of the week, and some times the second departure is at the end of the week.
On this selected day, the planes leave Noumea at 6.30 a.m., reach Vila at 9 ajn., Santo at 11.15 a.m., leave Santo at 11.45 a.m., reach Vila again 1.15 p.m., depart for Noumea at 2 p.m., and arrive Noumea at 4.30 p.m.
TRAPAS hopes to resume the Noumea- Tahiti service within the next couple of months.
The TRAPAS services, newly estab lished, were dislocated early this year, when a hurricane caught and smashed its planes in Noumea.
The new Catalina purchased in the US by TRAPAS for its French Pacific service reached Noumea on July 13, piloted by M.
Joseph Pommier. Flying time from Honolulu was 24J hours.