FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1365.PDF
16 May 1952 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH PACIFIC AIRLINES. From G. P. N. WATT, C.B.E. (Chairman) 5*7 THE formation of British Commonwealth A Pacific Airlines, Ltd., was an example of Empire co-operation between the Govern ments of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The company was formed on the basis of a partnership with capital hold ings of Australia 50 per cent, New Zealand 30 per cent and United Kingdom 20 per cent, to carry the British Commonwealth flag across the Pacific along the route named in honour of its famous pioneer, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. This Southern Cross Route furnishes a direct air connection between Australia/New Zealand and the North American continent. Constituting a vital part of the all-British round-the-world air route, it provides a stragetic connection with the United Kingdom B.C.P.A.'s Background.—On September 15th, 1946, a new trans-Pacific air service was begun between Sydney (and later Auckland) and Vancouver. It was operated by Australian National Airways using DC-4S on behalf of the newly formed British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, which, as the chairman states above, is jointly owned by the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in the proportions 50, 30 and 20 per cent. In April, 1948, the agreement with A.N.A. terminated and B.C.P.A. through English-speaking nations. In its four years of operations, B.C.P.A. has established a reputation for a safe, efficient and courteous service second to none amongst the international airlines of the world. This is a remarkable achievement in such a short period. Proof of the company's popularity with the travelling public can be found in its operating results. During the past twelve months B.C.P.A. has carried more trans-Pacific passengers than its two competitor airlines combined. By recently approving the purchase of six de Havilland Comet Us, the partner Governments have given concrete expression to the outstanding achievements of this young airline by enabling it to obtain the best possible equipment for its future operations. Due for delivery in 1954, the Comet II, powered with Rolls- Royce Avon turbojets, will reduce the present flying time from Australia and New Zealand to North America by approximately ten hours. The Comet fleet will make it possible for the company to operate a daily service between Australia and North America, in addition to increased frequencies from New Zealand. took over the operation of the route, flown between Australia and Canada three times a fortnight and between New Zealand and Canada once a fortnight. Four DC-6s are used to maintain these services and sleeping accommodation is provided for every passenger without extra charge. The routing is Sydney or Auckland via Fiji, Canton, Honolulu and San Francisco to Vancouver. B.C.P.A. has ordered six Avon-powered Comets for this 7,500-mile ocean service. They are due for delivery in 1954-55. CANADIAN PACIFIC ABRLINES. From G. W. G. McCONACHIE (President) TEN short years ago, -Canadian Pacific Air lines was formed through the amalgama tion of ten independent "bush" lines, which operated mainly between points in Canada's vast northern areas. Today, Canadian Pacific aircraft operate over 9,525 miles of domestic routes and 15,295 miles in the vast Pacific between Vancouver, the main base, and Aus tralia, New Zealand, Japan and Hong Kong. C.P.A.L. has also stepped up its flights to Japan to take an active part in ferrying United Nations troops to Korea under government charter. This autumn, following an established prac tice of providing the finest available service on all routes, Canadian Pacific will take delivery of its first 44-passenger Comet from de Havil- /7 r\ ^ land, followed by the first of its new Douglas 7 ^? A^ V\ Super DC-6 aircraft. With this combination, (•^i "7 /^T-C-W—^~ we can offer the finest services be- C.P.A.'s Background.—The origins of Canadian Pacific Airlines are to be found in the small pioneer bush-flying companies which developed in Canada soon after the First World War. These companies had amassed a valuable experience of flying in Canada's northern territory, and in 1939, Canadian Pacific Airlines undertook the organization of ten of these concerns into a co-ordinated airline system. A total of 81 aircraft of over a dozen types was taken over, with the attendant maintenance and operating problems caused by such a varied tween North America and points across the South Pacific. Canadian Pacific Airlines is indeed proud to take its place as a pioneer in the field of jet transportation operation across the Pacific. However, recognizing the trend toward tourist-class travel for those on limited budgets, it is planned to operate a high-density service between the Orient and Canada as soon as new equipment is available. The replacement of present Pacific routes aircraft with the Comet and Super DC-6 will release several DC-4S for service on domestic routes. These will be of great use in helping to handle the increases in traffic which have been experienced on several of the lines during the past year or two. Recent large developments of natural resources and untapped power in Western Canada and in the North have made heavy demands on the capacity of Canadian Pacific Airlines in the movement of both passengers and freight to these areas. The use of DC-4S will alleviate this condition to some extent, although short landing-strips at some points restrict the use of the heavier-type aircraft. The future of commercial aviation, in our opinion, has never been brighter. The potential market is practically unlimited. fleet. From that time C.P.A. has developed its routes and standardized its fleet, now using DC-3S, with a few Ansons, Cansos and Norseman. The company has an unduplicated mileage of over 25,000 which includes services in Eastern and Central Canada, an extensive system from British Columbia and Alberta to the far north and two Pacific routes, one to Tokyo and Hong Kong and one to Auckland and Sydney. C.P.A. has ordered two Comets for use on its northern Pacific route and they will cut the Vancouver-Hong Kong journey to about 20 hours. K.L.M. (ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES). THE year 1952 is an important .year for international civil aviation. The introduc tion of the tourist class on the North Atlantic air routes—50 years after Marconi established the first radio connection across the Atlantic, and 25 years after C. A. Lindbergh's famous solo crossing—may be regarded as a milestone in the history of aviation. More and more progress will be made in this direction: cheap air transport with machines specially equipped for this kind of traffic will undoubtedly be found to meet a need. Air travel will be brought within the reach of a new cateogry of passenger. And the result will be a further large increase in the volume of air traffic, which in 1951 was already twenty times as large as in 1937. Develop ment, however, is closely related to the international political and economic situation. In addition, it is essential that this develop ment, which can benefit the whole world, K.L.M.'s Background.—Royal Dutch Airlines' first route was that between Amsterdam and London, begun in May 1920, and worked in association with Britain's Aircraft Transport and Travel, Ltd.; but KL.M.'s great reputation was built up largely as a result of its pioneer long-distance flying on the Amsterdam to Batavia route, which was From DR. ALBERT PLESMAN (President) should not be handicapped by artificial obstacles in the form of excessive restrictions in air agreements. So far as the airlines themselves are concerned, it will be necessary to get the total operating costs down to a lower level, as these costs have hitherto made profitable operation almost impossible. There is no doubt that the prospects are favourable in the present phase of gradual expansion following the very rapid post-war growth, although large sums must be spent on new air craft if an airline is to remain up-to-date. At the moment K.L.M. has a number of Super Constellations, DC-6Bs, Convair 340s and a DC-6A Liftmaster on order. These modern machines, which can be fitted with turboprops at a later date, will be introduced on the Company's 118,000-mile network of air routes during the next few years. In my opinion, jet aircraft—in whose development Great Britain has played such an admirable part—will be available for more general use by about 1958, mainly through British initiative in putting this type into service in the immediate future. Aviation still presents many great potentialities. Let us hope and trust that they will only be used for the benefit and not for the destruction of mankind. opened to regular traffic on September 25th, 1930. This was then the world's longest air route and, like most of the K.L.M. routes, it was flown by the famous Fokker monoplanes. In 1934, K.L.M. took delivery of the first Douglas DC-2 to arrive in Europe and the company achieved further publicity by flying it in to
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
