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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0277.PDF
APRIL 22, 1926 "QUANTAS" A Successful Australian Air Transport Service COMMERCIAL aviation in Australia, as we have had occasionto remark before in FLIGHT, possesses great possibilities, andis in fact developing steadily. One of the successful com- mercial aviation companies operating in Australia is theQueensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, Ltd.— generally known as " Quantas "—and we are able this weekto give our readers a short history of this concern, which, we think, will prove, interesting. The formation of " Quantas " dates from the winter of 1920,when Messrs. Fergus McMaster, A. N. Templeton (Western Queensland squatters) and P. J. McGinness and Hudson Fysh(late A.F.C. pilots) met at the Gresham Hotel in Brisbane and discussed the necessary preliminary arrangements. By theend of the year the company had been duly incorporated and the capital raised for the flotation of the pioneering venture. In February, 1921, the company's first two machines, incharge of pilots McGinness and Fysh and accompanied by Mr. A. Baird as engineer, arrived in Longreach and proceededto exploit the possibilities of the Western Queensland districts from a joy-riding and aerial taxi point of view. From then ontill the end of July some very extensive tours were carried out. including a trip to " Austral Downs " in the Northern Terri-tory, Ingham on the north-east coast, and a journey to Windorah on Cooper's Creek, and Hungerford on the NewSouth Wales border. During these trips 21,450 miles were flown, 871 joy ride passengers carried, and 79 aerial taxipassengers landed in safety at their destinations. Meanwhile the great possibilities which were centred inaerially linking the railheads of Western Queensland had not been overlooked, and by August, 1921, the directors, headed byMr. Fergus McVTaster, had been so successful in the direction of obtaining a Government subsidy for the Charleville-Cloncurry route that a new prospectus was issued calling for further capital for flotation purposes. A. further six months'hard work saw the bulk of the capital raised, and in February. 1922, the company's tender for the carrying out of the aerialmail contract was accepted by the Civil Aviation Department. Great difficulty was experienced in getting suitable machinesfor the service. Two modern commercial aeroplanes were ordered, but these proved unsuitable in their tests, and thecompany was left without machines with which to commence the service. The directors faced the situation by commencinga provisional service maintained by three Armstrong- Whitworth and one De Havilland 4 aeroplanes, and at the sametime urgently ordering from England two commercial machines of a suitable and proved type. This provisional service commenced on November 2, 1922,and managed to keep the weekly schedule in operation at a high degree of efficiency for the first year, at the end of whichtime two De Havilland 9c machines were placed on the route. Running over the first year had proved that when operating with obsolete plant a high degree of safety and efficiencycould be maintained. The old machines were, however, slow and uncomfortable for passengers. The almost open engineexhausts made the passengers' compartment very noisy as well as being windy, and passengers were almost frozen inwinter and roasted in summer. The new machines, however, soon made a wonderfuldifference to the passenger traffic and their excellent running, comfort and freedom from excessive noise and wind made themvery popular with passengers, making aerial travel not only the most speedy but the most comfortable mode of travel inthe Wrest. The two De Havilland 9c machines carried on the servicewith success, and in October last the latest commercial De Havilland 50 four-passenger machine was placed on theroute in order to meet the heavy demand for seating accom- modation between Longreach and Charleville. This machinehas given complete satisfaction and carries four passengers and luggage at the same running cost as the D.H.9c machines,which carry three, and the original machines, which carry only two passengers. Such is the advance of modern com-mercial aircraft. At present the " Ouantas " fleet consists of the followingmachines : one De Havilland 50 (four-passenger), two De Havilland 9c (three-passenger), one Bristol fighter (two- " QUANTAS": A D.H. 50 em- ployed for air mail and pas- senger service by the Queens- land and Nor- thern Territory Aerial Services, Ltd., between Charleville and Camooweal, Q ueensland. Our illustration shows mail [and passengers on their arrival at Longreach from Charleville. passenger), one De Havilland 4 (two-passenger), one B.E.2E(one-passenger), one Avro (two-passenger). Longreach is the headquarters of the company and thecentral aerodrome is situated 1-J miles from the town. The hangar, which will house 6 machines, is a fine tubular steeland iron building, 113 ft. long and with a 60 ft. span. The floor is of concrete and wings have been built on to each sideand rear of the building which contain the storeroom and engine and machine repair departments. Smaller buildingsare situated at the southern terminal Charleville, and^at Cloncurry, and which will house three machines each. Just recently an important step in organisation has beencarried out, namely the installation of up-to-date woodworking and engine repair plants at Longreach headquarters, thusallowing the company to handle aircraft construction and re- pairs with a satisfactory degree of despatch and economyAlso, arrangements have been made for the construction_at the Quantas plant of a D.H.50. The Company's directorate is made up as follows:—Dr. F. A. H. Michod (Chairman of Directors), Messrs. Fergus McMaster, G. Morgan Reade, A. N. Templeton, N. F. White,Donald Crombie, P. J. McGinness, Hudson Fysh, and Major T. Maclcod. The staff is composed thus :—Managing director, Hudson Fysh • Aerodrome Manager, Wr. A. Baird ; Secretary, R. D. Miller; Pilots, Hudson Fysh (late A.F.C.), P. H. Moody 245
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