Suitability Of

Fiji Airways Believe In—

Drover

Aircraft For Fiji

Suva, Oct. 27.

“QOME people have the impression O that, because these Drovers were found not suitable for New Guinea conditions, they may be unsuitable in Fiji,” said Mr.

Harold Gatty, head of Fiji Airways, in a chat to-day.

“The original Drover was an all metal, 3-engined plane designed around the variable-pitch propeller, which gave it terrific lift and speed.

But that arrangement was unsuit able, and they were all grounded.

De Havilland re-d esig n e d the machine with propellers of fixed pitch and, to make up for the changed performance of the props, they provided slotted flaps on the wings.

“This proved to be an excellent machine —except under New Guinea conditions. These Drovers will not take off comfortably with a high load, at a high altitude, such as the innumerable airstrips of the Central Highlands of New Guinea, many of them at 5,000 feet. Once air borne, they can fly safely at any reasonable altitude: but the take off at 5,000 feet was so uncertain that they could not be used in New Guinea.

“But conditions here in Fiji are quite different. All our air-strips are at sea-level—no trouble about take-off—and the Drovers fly quite satisfactorily at any height required here. Thus we have in the Drover a small aircraft that represents low capital cost, flies normally at 116 mph, has great strength and power, and is as economical in operation (7 passengers and a lot of cargo) as anything in the world.

“We bought 3 Drovers, and lost one through no fault of the machine.

One of that three is not yet de liyered. We now are carrying on with one Rapide and one Drover.

Another Rapide is being prepared.

By the end of December we shall be operating 2 Drovers and 2 Rapides; and another Drover will arrive next year, making our fleet 3 Drovers and 2 Rapides.”

Unprofitable Waiting

Mr. Gatty said that one of Fiji Airways’ biggest problems was the undependableness of the Trans pacific air-services. To give Fiji good service they tried to meet all arrivals at Nadi with an FA aircraft. But these arrivals frequently were off schedule, and then the planes carry ing on the internal Fiji services had either to be brought away (so that passengers and mails arriving at Nadi were held up there), or kept standing at Nadi airfield for long and very unprofitable hours.

Suva Point Airfield?

Another problem was Nausori, through which Suva was serviced Nausori was a bad airfield, requir ing heavy maintenance to avoid serious deterioration. It was not well equipped and it was 14 harassing miles from Suva. The only answer in Mr, Gatty’s opinion, is the con struction of the long-discussed air

field at Suva Point, equipped to permit night-flying. It must be constructed someday—why not now?

One learns that plans and con trols in relation to the large, and now permanently-established inter national airport at Nadi are a little chaotic. Australia and New Zea land are fighting over the proposed third runway—one wants it and the other thinks it unnecessary.—R.