In Pacific Aviation

Hell Still Be Interested In Pacific Aviation

A man who flew with “Smithy”—Captain G. U. “Scotty” n —is to join the board of Fiji Airways.

PTAIN ALLAN retired on June 30 as deputy executive and ty general manager of Qantas. expected that late in July he will amed as chairman of the board iji Airways, which is owned by in, NZ and Australia. It is tak an increased interest in inter nal routes. 44 years, “Scotty” has had a

hand in almost every phase of air craft development, in Australia and overseas. He was born in Lanark shire and joined the Royal Flying Corps as a 17-year-old cadet. He re members training in a biplane which used castor oil as a lubricant so that the pilot was continually drenched with it, and always smelled of it.

After his European dog fights, “Scotty” stayed in the service post war, and went on patrols against hostile Arab tribesmen in the Middle East.

He went to Australia in 1929 to begin his association with Kingsford Smith, Ulm, Mollison and P. G. (now Sir Gordon) Taylor.

“Scotty” and “Smithy” made many flights together, forging airmail routes inside and outside the Commonwealth.

Once “Scotty” attempted a round the-world flight in “Faith in Aus tralia”, a standard Avro 10. With him were Charles Ulm and P. G.

Taylor. They got to England, broke, and flew home to Australia by setting a new England-Australia record of less than a week.

“Scotty” closed his log book after World War II with 16,000 flying hours.

Captain G. U. "Scotty" Allan.

Albert Park, Suva, from the air. This is the park where "Smithy" landed on the first trans pacific flight in 1928. The "Southern Cross" came in across the corner seen at the top left of the picture, and it is at this corner that the commemorative plaque now stands.

Photo: Rob Wright