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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0197.PDF
22 January 1954 89 carry more passengers into and out of Hong Kong than any other airline based in the East. A worthwhile tourist trade has developed from Manila to Hong Kong which, with its climate, scenery, shopping and entertain ment is the Mecca of American Servicemen in the East. There is a surprisingly large traffic in adiletic teams moving around the East, and—perhaps more valuable than any other source of traffic —-there are the regional feeder connections at Bangkok and Singapore, where businessmen returning from Europe say that boarding the Cathay aircraft is "like getting on the home bus." Cathay are also being used increasingly as a feeder mail service to Europe, and mails carried by the company to connect with the Comet service have been reaching England in record time. Political difficulties add to the responsibilities of the operations manager, Captain C. F. Moore. Because China is closed to aviation, the alternative airport for Hong Kong must be Manila, 700 miles away. Tainan, on Formosa, is an emergency substitute only; it is a military airfield with few facilities for commercial passengers. The large fuel reserves necessary are an economic handicap, to say nothing of the consequences of the mis-position ing which must result from a diversion. Similarly, the DC-3 flights from Hanoi, in the Red River delta, to Hong Kong would normally take 3| hours; but because of the need to take a big dog-leg round the Communist-held island of Hainan, the present flight-time is five hours. Meanwhile, Hong Kong aviation must look forward to improved political conditions, so that operations into and through China can be resumed, perhaps even restoring Kai Tak to the position it held briefly a few years ago—that of being the world's third busiest airport. The question of re-equipment must necessarily be continuously in the minds of those responsible for such intensive operation with relatively old aircraft; but it is not easy to find in any country a modern aeroplane which is not in the half-million pound class yet which bears the burden of the Manila diversionary fuel so lightly as d#es the DC-4. There can be few other regional net works in the world with a minimum stage-distance of 700 miles, to which must be added in some cases a four-hour diversion reserve. World politics permitting, the future of Cathay Pacific should be bright. There must be some more evolutionary changes in local air transport organizations beyond the agreement reached in 1949, when Cathay Pacific Airways and Hong Kong airways were given operating regions South and North of the latitude of Hong Kong respectively. Hong Kong Airways started off as a wholly-owned B.O.A.C. subsidiary, and were later sold to the great China firm of Jardine, Matheson. After China was closed to the West, Hong Kong Airways sold all their aircraft; present operations are conducted by North West Airlines, utilizing Hong Kong Airways' traffic rights as far as Taipei. There have been many rumours of a merger between Hong Kong Airways and Cathay. Pacific Airways. This would be both logical and in the interests of the operators, the public, and the Colony's prosperity. It has even been hinted that such a merger might embrace a B.O.A.C. interest and extend as far afield as another prosperous and efficient British operator, Malayan Air ways. Meanwhile, Hong Kong can record with satisfaction a solid achievement by one of the few private scheduled operators under the British flag. ARMY CO-OP BY PRIVATE OWNER SO keen was a company of the Devon Regiment in Kenya to have air support close at hand that arrangements were made to cut a special landing strip out of the crest of a hill 7,100ft up in the Aberdare mountains. The unit concerned had previously been stationed at Squaire's Farm, with an airstrip adjoining the camp, and the close liaison with the R.A.F. which had thereby been made possible caused the Devons to want a strip for their new camp at Kihuri. The site was on a hill-top in the mountains, apparently completely inhospitable to aircraft. Mr. Dodds, owner of a Piper Pacer and member of the Kenya Police Reserve, inspected the lie of the land and decided that an airstrip could nevertheless be built. With the aid of 500 natives from a neighbouring area the strip was cut out of the edge of the ridge, an earth scraper being improvised with a baulk of timber. Construction took ten days. After allowing a fortnight for the ground to settle and harden, Mr. Dodds made die first landing in his Pacer, and found the strip adequate and safe. He has since used it regularly. As the photographs show, the strip is perched like a carrier's deck among the hills and measures 550 yd x 25 yd. The normal approach for landing is made level towards the brow of the hill in true carrier style. The frequent torrential rainstorms in this region do not affect operations, because the ground drains itself satisfactorily; Mr. Dodds has flown from Kihuri in heavy rain without trouble. He maintains regular communication by air between the Kihuri strip and Mweiga, the Harvard base, as well as spotting for the Kihuri company, and dropping supplies to their patrols when necessary. Like a carrier's deck, but without benefit of ship-made wind: the strip cut on the hillside, with the Aberdare range and forest in the background. Above, the Piper Pacer is run-up preparatory to take-off.
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