Norfolk Up In The Air On Its

Aviation Future

From a Norfolk Island Correspondent The matter of additional air services to Norfolk Island subject which the Norfolk Island Council has been pressing for last two years—has come up again.

THE Council at its March meeting heard a statement by Mr. W. N.

Selby Newbald that Pan-American would fly from Fiji to Norfolk if it could obtain landing rights. He also mentioned the French airline, TAI, and NZ internal NAC, as likely starters in a possible air race to Norfolk.

But the obvious favourite, as far as anybody can judge here, is still Australia’s Ansett-ANA.

The present service to Norfolk from Australia is being supplied by Qantas, which uses Skymasters. The flight also connects with NZ—the same aircraft being used but flying under charter to TEAL on this leg.

The recent discussions have led some people to believe locally that alterations in the service are planned, especially as a Fokker Friendship of the Australian Department of Civil Aviation came whistling in a few days ago from Sydney, loaded with Departmental officials, including the Regional Director for NSW. The Director, Mr. Doubleday, said the team was on a visit to inspect aero drome facilities and procedures.

Qantas Loss When Australia’s Minister for Civil Aviation, Senator Paltridge, visited Norfolk in August, 1960, the Council asked him to grant landing rights to TAI and PAA. The Coun cil envisaged lifting by air cargo some of Norfolk’s surplus farm pro ducts.

The Senator promised he would examine the question, although he pointed out that the Qantas service was running at a heavy loss and already had to receive a £20,000 subsidy from the Government to keep it in the air. He could have told the Council also that Qantas wanted very much to pull out of the uneconomic Norfolk service. He did say he thought it unlikely that the French Government would sub sidise a TAI service to Norfolk.

The Council continued to press the matter of new landing rights, and last September said it under

stood that Ansett-ANA’s applicai to operate services to Norfolk not been officially rejected, and ui the Australian Government to gi this licence.

Senator Paltridge replied Ansett-ANA had been told that as long as Qantas continued to ] vide a service to Norfolk and to NZ, another operator would be given a licence to operate Norfolk.

Councillor Newbald went < the history of the airline applicat: at the March meeting.

“Why can’t landing rights granted to Ansett-ANA?” asked Newbald, brandishing his notes. ‘ cause there are wheels within wh —that’s why!”.

Nobody at the meeting seemec know what Mr. Newbald meant this.

There have been rumours— tainly unconfirmed—that TAA i: take over the Norfolk run f Qantas, but if this is correct, v a glorious opening it will be for Reg. Ansett, TAA’s competitor, would insist in getting his cut, and it is generally assumed that Ansett does not want the Nor service for itself alone, but for chance it will give him of gettic leg in NZ by the back door, sett’s have airline interests in but they have no trans-Tasi rights, and it is unlikely that ei NZ or Australia will give them him.

What everybody seems to 1 forgotten about this subject of P.

TAI and everyone else, is the of Norfolk’s strip. It cannot 1 a jet aircraft and it is restricted using nothing much larger than i masters. It is this restriction wl has given both Qantas and TE so many headaches.

Meanwhile Qantas DC4’s conti to lumber amiably in and out Norfolk Island, apparently oblivi of all these grandiose schemes turning the local airstrip into a ond Idlewild or Kingsford Smith.