Evening star., 1945-10-28

DCEnI ldbc tlilS ulOltbll uS 0b1eCu 0tdVCo
air lines inaugurated q speedy, low
priced service. 1t was the first step to-
ward a not-distant future when
weekend jaunt to Europe will be hardly
more expensive than trip to the West
Coast.
Rapid advances in the technique OF
plane construction and operating meth
ods developed by the commercial air
lines during the war, when they few
millions of miles under Army and Navy
contracts, are the basis of the new flight
era. 30 they enter this new period of
low-cost transoceanic flying not as ex-
perimenters, but as veterans Of similar
operations as troop and supply carriers
throughout the world.
The technical basis Of the new, fast
schedules, which cut FIVE or six hours
from prewar Atlantic flying time,
Is the abandonment Of heavy, somewhat
clumsy flying boats for sleek, super
streamlined land planes with cruising
speeds of around 300 miles per hour.
Wide Margin of Safety
In the prewar period the transoceanic
lines used flying boats because OF the
safety factor. Forced down, they could
remain afioat until radio-summoned
help appeared. However, as result OF
the vast improvement of motors during
the war, when hundreds of thousands
were manufactured for the military
services, their dependability has been
raised to the point where the airlines
feel they can operate four-motored land
planes across the ocean with a wide
margin of safety. Many aviation ex-
perts believe that the day OF the flying
boat Is over.
Under a recent decision Of the Civil
Aeronautics Board, three major United
States airlines will divide the European
service among them.
The Constellation Fleet
Pan American, the veteran line in the
international field which has been oper-
ating flying boats to Europe, Latin
America and the Far East for number
of years, began its new and faster land
plane service on October 20. 1t then
began a semiweekly service from New
York via Newfoundland and Ireland to
London. Pan American has acquired
landing rights at Bovingdon Airport,
only Is miles from the British capital.
The new service was opened with four
motored Douglas C-54E's which seat 43
passengers, with which Pan American
estimates it can cut the New York to
London schedule from around 81 to Is
hours However, Pan American plans to
supplant the C-54s soon with 50-passen-
ger Lockheed Consultations, four-nno-
tored planes with cruising speed of
300 miles per hour, compared with about
225 for the present type.
Looking even further into the future,
Pan American has ordered a feet Of
Republic Rainbows which officials OF the
line say will be by far the fastest trans
port planes in the world, with an esti-
mated cruising speed of some. 400 miles
per hour. When these giants are in serv-
ice, Pan American looks forward to the
day when its planes will fly to England
in nine hours, carrying passengers for
500, or approximately the fare of the
smallest and slowest steamers.
Slashing Plane Fares
Pan American opened its new trans
Atlantic service with drastic slash in
rates. Before the war the fare to Eng
land on the flying boats was $375. Dur
ing the conflict, largely because of high
insurance rates, it was raised to $700.
The new fare is $275 one way or $494
round-trip.
Pan Americans sharp reduction fol-
lowed shortly after the CAB had certi-
fed two other United States lines to
operate In the transatlantic service
American Airlines and Transcontinen-
tal-Western Air. While the latter two
companies have not yet announced their
rates to England, it is believed in
aviation circles that they will meet or
approximate those of Pan American.
In addition to its northern service,
Pan American is continuing to operate
with flying boats its old southern route
from New York to Lisbon via Bermuda
and the Azores.
Trips to London
Last week American Airlines also be-
gan actual operation of the new high
speed northern Atlantic service. Long
the largest domestic operator, American
entered the international field by ac-
quiring majority interest in Ameri-
can Export Air Lines, which had been
operated by the American Export
Steamship Co. Transfer of the line was
approved by the CAB last June.
Americans present route parallels
that of Pan American, running from
New York via Boston, Newfoundland
and Ireland to Boyington Field outside
of London. 1t, too, expects to cut flying
time to Is hours with its present fleet
of converted Douglas C-54-Es.' Like
Pan American, too it has feet of six
Lockheed Consultations on order. Amer
ican has scheduled three flights weekly.
leaving New York on Tuesdays, Thurs
days and Saturdays.
The pilot plane on the new route took
off October 23 with group of news
papermen end other observers who were
enjoying a free junket. AS this is writ
ten. the line still had its rates under
consideration.
And to Paris
Third large-scale transatlantic oper-
ator will be Transcontinental-W Western