uicker and More Often

Ac’S Whispering

Ant

To Uk

r hile it was in Sydney recently demonstration flights, “PIM” privileged to sample travel in IC’s giant turbo-prop Bristol annia Airliner. [E new Britannias went onto the Sydney-UK service in early March, cutting the elapsed time he journey to approximately 50 :s. Night stop in Singapore has i eliminated. }AC is using these aircraft on London-Johannesburg service plans to use them from London >an Francisco or Los Angeles, s weekly, to link up with bas. This link will give the iC-Qantas combination a nd the world” service, is Britannia is the largest turbo eller aircraft in the world. It a wing span of 142 ft and its is 36 ft high. It is one of the aircraft fitted with a humidifier, h prevents skin dryness and eyes from the pressurising and onditioning. town as the “Whispering Giant” uises at 400 miles an hour, and carry up to 90 passengers in iltimate degree of comfort. )wds estimated at more than 0 waited for a chance to go the Britannia the day it ed in Sydney; they jammed > leading to Mascot airport, but majority were unable to get the aircraft.

February 18, the Britannia ; four demonstration flights Mascot, each of about an s duration. Those invited to 1 these flights were, in a matter minute or two, whisked away the grey clouds and rain in Syd cyclone “Clara” was approach be coast) into the sunlight far ) the crowds. They were among ery small percentage of Sydney e who saw the sun that day. ze in the air the stewards fin itely went into action to show smooth the aircraft was when : through “bumpy” weather. offered their guests cham- J, then filled the glasses to the With the aircraft still climb ot a drop was spilt, vellers from Sydney to Europe low choose from eight services ik along the Kangaroo Route supplied by Qantas Super ellations, three by BOAC mias. tennias can carry up to 90 but those on the aroo route will carry 39 on the st class service, and 41 tourist 7 first-class passengers on the i class services

t Following a successful excursion to New Zealand last summer, the New Caledonia Federation of Public Schools organised a similar holiday trip again this January, 48 persons arriving for a two-weeks visit on January 11, and leaving Auckland immediately for the Southern Alps.

Last year a number of the party expressed disappointment that they had seen no snow, so this year the trip has been organised with emphasis on that commodity.

t Mr. Douglas Hardy, ABC-TV staff cameraman, made a quick trip to New Caledonia recently. He left Sydney at 11.30 p.m., on January 16, and returned to Sydney the fol lowing day with films of the ship San Antonia, wrecked on the Sarcelle (Teal) reef, 12 miles from the Isle of Pines, and about 14 miles from Cape Queen Charlotte.

The films were shown on Channel 2-ABN, the ABC television station, in Sydney, the same night.