The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954)(about) |
Previous issue
Wednesday 22 August 1951
Next issue
of 16
Next page
Send to:
|
2 corrections, most recently by JamesGibney - Show corrections
AIR SERVICE FROM PERTH TO AFRICA Plan To Make First Flight Next March CANBERRA, Tues.—Australia plans to open a new air service next March from Perth, by way of Cocos Island and Mauritius, to Johannesburg.
Capital expenditure of £690,000 on the Cocos Island airstrip has been approved following the transfer of the island to Australia. The Minister for Civil Avia- tion (Mr. Anthony) announced tonight that a work squadron of 500 men of the Royal Aus- tralian Air Force would leave within the next few weeks to begin work on the airstrip. "In the event of war this small Indian Ocean atoll will be vital to the defence of Aus- tralia and useful as an alter- native air route to the United Kingdom," said Mr. Anthony. "It will facilitate the defence of British sea communications in the Indian Ocean and pro- vide a landing ground for military aircraft." Coral Runway The existing runway of per- forated steel plate at Cocos Island will be replaced by an 8,000ft. runway of crushed coral to handle with ease Con- stellations and Stratocruisers. Power-generating equipment, radio navigation aids, airport lighting and a marine base for air-sea rescue launches are planned. The construction party will travel to Cocos in a specially- chartered ship. It will repair the airstrip sufficiently as quickly as possible to allow a fortnightly courier air service to the Australian mainland. Mr. Anthony said that a Civil Aviation Department 62ft. crash launch was now being refitted at the Rose Bay flying boat base in Sydney. It would travel to Cocos under its own power. Mr. Anthony said that at first Qantas Empire Airways would stop at Cocos for only three hours pending arrange- ments for an overnight stop. Early Plans The possibility of an Indian Ocean route was first dis- cussed in Perth in 1929 when Mr. C. L. K. Foot asked the late Capt. Bert Hinkler if he would fly from Port Hedland to Mombasa. Before the attempt could be made the famous aviator was killed during an England- Australia flight. Mr. Foot ap- proached Capt. J. Woods with a similar proposal in 1936, but the idea lapsed through lack of funds. A committee of Perth citizens under the chairmanship of Sir (then Mr.) Norbert Keenan, M.L.A., then decided to form a private company, Indian Ocean Air Services Ltd., in an effort to raise sufficient capital both to fly and develop the route. Capt. R. Archbold, a grandson of the millionaire Mr. R. D. Rockefeller, made available his twin-engine flying- boat Guba, which left Port Hedland and had an unevent- ful crossing of the Indian Ocean in June, 1939. Capt. P. G. Taylor, who travelled in the Guba on behalf of the Austra- lian and British Governments reported that the route was practicable. During the war the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force made extensive use of Capt. Taylor's report and used the recommended bases for the protection of shipping. The Perth committee was revived after the war under the chair- manship of Mr. S. W. Perry. Return Flight In November, 1948, a Qan- tas Lancastrian touched down at the Guildford airport. In 30 hours' flying time it had covered 6,103 miles, making the first west-east crossing of the Indian Ocean from South Africa to Australia. The plane had completed the first direct return flight be- tween the two countries, cov- ering the distance of 14,262 miles in 70 hours' flying time. Both on the journey to Johan- nesburg and return, the plane made stops at Cocos Island and Mauritius.