02 Apr 1965 - T.E.A.L. makes way for Air N.Z. Ltd.

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Fri 2 Apr 1965 - The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995)
Page 11 - T.E.A.L. makes way for Air N.Z. Ltd.

T.E.A.L. makes way

for Air N.Z. Ltd.

By our Aviation correspondent

One of the best-known names in Australian aviation disappeared
yesterday when Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. (T.E.A.L.), which had
maintained an air link between Australia and New Zealand for 25 years,
was renamed Air New Zealand Ltd.

Air N.Z. is the New Zea
land company's way of fac
ing up to the challenge of
the outside world.

It will meet the full force

of this challenge later this

year.

In December, Air N.Z.
will begin jet operations
across the Tasman and ser
vices to the west coast of
North America.

It will begin services to

the Orient next year.

These routes will be
.maintained initially by only
three DC-8 jets and two
Lockheed Electras, which
will be taken out of service
when airports at Melbourne
and Wellington are brought
up to jet standard.

With only five aircraft,
Air N.Z. is preparing to
face up to the competition
of such giants as Pan

American, Qantas, U.T.A.

Air France.

It seems to be looking
forward to the experience
with such sublime confid
ence I hat one wonders if it
has studied any airline bal
ance sheets recently.

Air N.Z/s DC-8 fleet,
small though it may be,
will have a unique device
which could have the effect
of giving !he airline four
aircraft utilisation from
only three machines.

I It is a spare engine pod

carried inboard on the star
board wing. It is currently
undergoing F.A.A. certifi
cation tests in the U.S.

The pod, according to
Air N.Z., will ensure that
any aircraft stranded with
an engine fault will be able
to receive a serviceable eng

ine from the next scheduled

aircraft.

The engine needing re
pair will then be returned
to the company's repair
base in Auckland.

Tasman Empire Airways
Ltd. was registered in 1939,
with the New Zealand Gov
ernment holding 50 per cent
of the shares, Australia's 30
per cent and the United
Kingdom 20 per cent. The
long dreamed of Empire
Route was complete.

T.E.A.L. began operations
on April 30. 1940. when the
Short Empire class- flying
boat Aoteroa began a
weekly service from Auck
land to Sydney.

A sister ship, the Awarua,

joined the fleet a few weeks

later.

The third aircraft was as
signed to war duties with
Coastal Command of ' the
R.A.F. and was destroyed
in action.

An equal

partner

By June, 1944, the two
aircraft had made 1.000
crossings of what was still
considered to be one of the
most dangerous stretches of
water in the world.

Thundering along at the
then respectable speed of
138 m.p.h., and carrying 19
passengers, the Empire fly
ing boats had a total horse
power of 3.600 — less than
one quarter of the output
of one of the jets which will
power the DC-8s.

In 1953 the British Gov
ernment withdrew from
T.E.A.L. and, at the same
time, British Canadian
Pacific Airlines was liquida
ted.

Qantas acquired the
B.C.P.A. routes across the
Pacific and T.E.A.L. ob
tained B.C.P.A.'s three
Douglas DC-6s.

The Australian Govern

ment acquired the British
20 per cent interest in
T.E.A.L. and became an

equal partner with N.Z.

The partnership was not

a happy one.

The first

accident

In April. 1961, the N.Z.
Government bought the
Aust ralian Government's
share of T.E.A.L. for the
eenerous price of £1.013.
750. with payment spread
over four years.

T.E.A.L. built an excel
lent reputation for reliabi
lity. TTie accident which
destroyed an Electra last
Saturday was the first in the
company's history.

It still has the enviable
record of never having lost
a passenger or crew member
through accident—a record
almost unequalled in, the
world. This is still its best
advertisement.

The first T.E.A.L. Electra
to make a complete flight
as Air N.Z. landed at Auck
land's Whenuapai Airport
from Sydney at 6.15 a.m.
yesterday.

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