GAFFA

The Modern Aerophilatelic challenge

Are you up to the Challenge in Modern Aerophilately?

from 1945 – 20??

Join Now

December, 2009           Coordinator and Editor Ross Wood                  Fifth Edition

 How  the Challenge is going

Much has happened since the last newsletter and this time I have  again been greatly assisted with  lots of information from David Collyer  I have one new participant Michael Graber to add to the list of Challenger’s but have had very little feedback from any of you listed as Challenger’s. We still have 2 and a half years to go to the culmination of the Challenge and I would very much like some feedback on how you are going with your collecting in your chosen area. For those that have not yet managed to advise me of  you chosen area I would like you to do so as soon as possible. None of you advised me that you did not want your e-mail address a secret from other challengers so please seek assistance and give assistance and point out where material is available to other challengers that you discover, whilst searching for other material and information.

 The list of challengers is as follow’s

CURRENT CHALLENGERS 

Doreen Holmes

Australia

Bernard Beston

British Guiana

Boon Swee Yen

Malaysian  1945-65

Colin Riddell

Cocos Island  1945-1957

Darryl Fuller

Israel 1948-56

David Collyer

TBA

David Figg

Polar Flights

John DiBiase

TBA

Dingle Smith

Jamaica

Erica Genge

Coronation Flights

Gary Brown

Aden 1945-1965

Geoff Kellow

Sierre Leone

Hans Karman

The rebirth of Schiphol and the KLM

Glen Stafford

TBA

Ian McMahon

Canada

John Lucaci

France

John Moore

Australia 1945-1955

John Sadler

Australian Balloon Mail 1966 …

Ken Sanford

Air Crash Mail of Pan Am and Affiliated Airlines 1945 to 1988

Malcolm Groom

Australia during the 2s 3d Rate period

Phillip Levine

Gold Coast

Jenny Banfield

Iraq

Ross Duberal

Fiji

Torsten Weller

Re-Opening Australian Airmails 1945-60

Charles Bromser

Shuttle Flights

Ross Wood

Czechoslovakia 1945 to 1970

Mike Rhodes

Mexico

Hubert du Geusclin

Australian Flying Boat Airmails 1945 …

Bob Gooding

Pacific Airmails since 1945

John Tollan

Burma Airmails 1945-1988

Gary Watson

From Australia by Air

Yvette and Jeff Trinidad

TBA

Chris Lloyd

TBA

Michael Graber

De Havilland Comet – First Jet Airliner

If you are still interested in the Challenge it is still not too late to do so especially if you collect a Country that continues or begins after 1945. These are the simple rules:

RULES OF THE CHALLENGE

I see the challenge as governed by the following (minimal) rules and guidelines

·       Study of mail carried by air from 1945 until today.

·       Based on Aerophilately exhibiting rules

·       Single frame or 3 to 8 frames

·       Anyone can enter

·       The Challenge will be held as part of the National Exhibition in Western Australia in June 2012

·       Venue to be decided but will be published in forthcoming newsletters but in 2012

·       Does NOT have to be a new exhibit

·       Novice (first time National) exhibitors will get special recognition at the formal challenge dinner.

 

David Collyer has again provided lots of information for this issue on the three items attached and I thank him for all the work that he is doing. I was recently in Beijing China at the 2009 Aeropex and there were several good exhibits from China and Korea after 1945. Asia is an area that is still open to challengers as very few of the countries have yet been taken up by any challengers.

 I wish you a happy holiday and a Prosperous New Year and if you know of anyone that may be slightly interested in this challenge, especially in New Zealand, please get involved as their will be a commissioner appointed to the National Exhibition in Perth 2012.

 Ross Wood

 GAFFA again.

Firstly seasons greetings for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – a very happy Holiday season.

 This issue has only three articles, two on Papua New Guinea and one on New Zealand.  PNG Internal air service is taken from Pacific Islands Monthly of August 1957.  Australia- New Guinea air services, 1945 to 1951/52 is taken from the Annual reports from the Postmaster General’s Department of the Commonwealth of Australia. The references to the civilian and Military services of 1945-46 are most interesting. Frankly there is still more details to come out on this subject

 In October a number of Australians attended the 2009 New Zealand national philatelic exhibition Timpex 2009 at Timaru about two hours drive south of Christchurch. There were two entries in aerophilately, both were pre 1945. John Bodnar of Adelaide showed is ViennaKiev airmail service of 1918. Bernard Beston, also Adelaide, show is British Guiana airmails which is an entry in development. Bernard did have some post 1945 material. Also at Timaru, but in postal history was a study of airmail rates between France and Oceania from 1934 to 1993, the majority of this entry does fall within the period of GAFFA.

Whilst in Timaru I did some travelling with Glen Stafford who collects airmails of Nicaragua. We both acquired a number of second hand books. The third article in this issue comes from two works by Ian H. Driscoll who was a regional manager the NZ National Airways Corporation (NAC) and went on to be Auckland area manager for Air New Zealand when the companies merged.

Driscoll compiled a chronology for aviation in the South Pacific that should be useful for anyone working in this area.

Also at Timpex the third edition of the New Zealand airmail catalogue was launched. This work is now in A4 size on glossy paper and goes up to the exhibition (October 2009), obviously there is plenty of material in this work relevant to GAFFA.

One hopes that you have been enjoying the material produced for this newsletter and that most of it has not previously been produced in philatelic sources. As this is the work of one person one feels that members of GAFFA would benefit if there was more support. Some Articles or material for the editor, please. 

PNG Internal Air services (1957)

 The following was taken from the August 1957 issue of Pacific Islands Monthly.

Mandated Airlines:

Mandated Airlines was formed in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea  on 30 September 1936 by the combination of W.R. Carpenter & Co and Pacific Aerial Transport. And became a subsidiary of W.R. Carpenter in 1937. From 1 August 1937 the company operated a service  between Port MoresbyWauSalamaua. Services were suspended  from 1942 to 1946. The company was sold to Ansett Industries in January 1961 and operated as Ansett MAL (Mandated Airlines)

Monday          Lae 7:30am Goroka, Madang, Wewak, Rabaul overnight

                        Lae 7:30am Goroka, Wau, Port Moresby and return same day

Tuesday         Rabaul 6:30am  Madang, Wewak, Madang, Goroka, Lae

Wednesday   Lae 7am Madang, Wewak, Momote, Kavieng, Rabaul overnight

                        Lae 7:30am Goroka, Wau, Port Moresby and return same day

                        (call at Goroka on return service optional)

Thursday        Rabaul 7am, Kavieng, Momote, Wewak, Madang Goroka, Lae

Friday             Lae 7am Madang, Wewak, Momote, Kavieng, Rabaul overnight

                        Lae 7:30am Goroka, Wau, Port Moresby and return same day

Saturday         Rabaul 7am, Kavieng, Momote, Wewak, Madang Goroka, Lae

AustraliaNew Guinea air service 1944/45 to 1951/52

Before WW II the Australia Territories of New Guinea and Papua had an extensive air service. This ended with the start of the Pacific War in late 1941. From 1942 to the end of 1945 there was no civil airmail between Australia and New Guinea. The return of civil administration in late 1945 is a natural starting point for the second stage of the development of civil aviation in Papua New Guinea.

The following material is taken from the Annual reports of the Postmaster General’s department from 1944/45 to 1951/52

1944/45 Report.:

The Sydney- Rabaul air service was suspended in February 1942. From that time letter mails between Australia and armed forces in the territories of Papua and New Guinea have been conveyed by service aircraft. During April 1945, a civil airmail was commenced by Qantas Empire Airways (QEA) between Sydney and Lae via Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns and Port Moresby. The round flight normally takes three days. Initially the frequency was once a week but it was later increased to three services weekly. Only mail bearing the airmail fee is carried

                                                                                    Postal Articles           Weight Lb

New Guinea- Australia (Service aircraft)                10,847,130                309,918

Lae-Sydney (Civil service)                                          1,422,105                 41,203

                                                                                    12,289,235                351,121

1945/46 Report:

The frequency of the Sydney- Port Moresby- Lae service by QEA was maintained at thrice weekly. On 30 October 1945 civil administration was resumed in the Territories and civil air mail exhanges were re-introduced from that date. Only airticles bearing the air mail fee were conveyed by this service. All first class mail exchanged between Australia and the Forces in the Territories is being carried to and from Townsville by service aircraft

Postal Articles           Weight Lb

New Guinea- Australia (Service aircraft)                9,319,520                  291,235

Lae-Sydney (Civil service)                                       8,539,200                  266,850

                                                                                    17,858,720                558,085

1946/47 Report:

The frequency of the Sydney- Port Moresby- Lae service by QEA was maintained at thrice weekly. During January 1947, one service each week was extended to Rabaul and Finschafen on the  Huon Gulf Only articles bearing the air mail fee were conveyed by this service. All first class mail exchanged between Australia and the Forces in the Territories is being carried to and from Townsville by service aircraft 

Postal Articles           Weight Lb

Post in the Commonwealth (To PNG)                    724,416                      22,638

Posted in Territory (From PNG)                              751,072                      23,471

                                                                                    1,475,488                  46,109

1947/48 Report:

The frequency of the Sydney- Port Moresby- Lae service by QEA was improved to four services weekly. During January 1947, with an extension to Rabaul via Finschafen once weekly. The establishment of feeder services Lae- Madang and Rabaul- Kavieng is receiving attention. Only articles bearing the airmail fee were conveyed by this service. All first class mail exchanged between Australia and the Forces in the Territories is being carried to and from Townsville by service aircraft

Postal Articles           Weight Lb

Post in the Commonwealth (To PNG)                    828,288                      25,884

Posted in Territory (From PNG)                              921,024                      28,7182                                                                                 

    1,749,312                   54,666

 1948/49 Report:

The frequency of the Sydney- Port Moresby- Lae service by QEA was improved to five services weekly. There was an extension to Rabaul via Finschafen once weekly. During the year feeder services operated on behalf of the Territories administration, were established from Lae to Bulolo, Kavieng, Manus, Torokina (Bougainville) and Wau. Only articles bearing the airmail fee were conveyed by this service.  

Postal Articles           Weight Lb

Post in the Commonwealth (To PNG)                    952,448                      29,764

Posted in Territory (From PNG)                              1,129, 536                 35,298                                                                                   

    2,081,984                  65,062

 1949/50 Report:

The frequency of the Sydney- Port Moresby- Lae service by QEA was improved to five services weekly. There was an extension to Rabaul via Finschafen once weekly. During the year feeder services operated on behalf of the Territories administration, were established from Lae to Bulolo, Kavieng, Manus, Torokina (Bougainville) and Wau. Only articles bearing the airmail fee were conveyed by this service.

Postal Articles           Weight Lb

Post in the Commonwealth (To PNG)                    1,045,408                  32,669

Posted in Territory (From PNG)                              1,489, 760                 46,555                                                                                   

    2,535,168                  79,224

 1950/51 Report:

The frequency of the Sydney- Port Moresby- Lae service by QEA was improved to five services weekly. There was an extension to Rabaul via Finschafen once weekly. Under contract to the Commonwealth Government, the Company also operated for the Administration of the Territory a number of feeder air services that carried the bulk of mail matter distributed throughout Papua New Guinea. Only articles bearing the airmail fee were conveyed by this service.

Postal Articles           Weight Lb

Post in the Commonwealth (To PNG)                    1,178,144                  36,817

Posted in Territory (From PNG)                              1,528,224                  47,757                                                                                   

    2,706,368                  84,574

1951/52 Report:

The frequency of the Sydney- Port Moresby- Lae service by QEA was improved to five services weekly. There was an extension to Rabaul via Finschafen once weekly. Under contract to the Commonwealth Government, the Company also operated for the Administration of the Territory a number of feeder air services that carried the bulk of mail matter distributed throughout Papua New Guinea. Only articles bearing the airmail fee were conveyed by this service.

Postal Articles           Weight Lb

Post in the Commonwealth (To PNG)                    1,192,128                  37,254

Posted in Territory (From PNG)                              1,631,264                  50,977                                                                                   

    2,823,392                  88,231

Chronology of Post World War II aviation in the Pacific from a New Zealand point of view

The following chronology is an edited version of two listings that appeared in Flightpath South Pacific – the flyers, the airlines and the Aircraft, 1972 and Airline – the making of a national flag carrier .1979 both by Ian H. Driscoll. For the purposes of GAFFA this version starts at 1 January 1945 and goes through to 1978.

1945

23-27 April     BOAC Lancastrian G-AGLF (Cpt R.G. Burke) surveys Britain – NZ landplane route

31 May           BOAC/QEA open Lancastrian service from Hurn, UK to Sydney  via Indian Ocean Liberator route

4 September US commences work on 2,950 metre airstrip on Wale Island

1 October       IATA meets in Montreal

19 October     QEA starts S-23 (VH-ABG) flying boat service Sydney-Noumea-Suva

7 December  NZ National Airways Act passed – NZ airlines nationalised

                        NAC

20 December CNAC dissolved

1946

                        TAI formed, Paris-Saigon service, later extended to Sydney

1 January       British South American Airways  begins six proving flights,

                        UK- South America, using Lancastrians

6 February     Hawaiian and Australian reciprocal landing rights negotiated

                        under Bermuda agreement between Commonwealth countries

                        and USA

28 February   SPTAC, Wellington TEAL will re-equip with Short S-25

                        Sandringham flying-boats. BCPA  founded. TEAL and BCPA

                        Wholly owned by NZ, Australian and British government

8 March          Conference in Canberra to discuss purchase of British aircraft

                        for Australian airlines

2 April             BOAC Sunderland III Hythe returns to Poole after 35,315 mile

                        survey to New Zealand and Orient

6 April             BOAC / QEA Hurn-Sydney Lancastrian  service rerouted via

                        Karachi, Singapore, Darwin, Sydney

8 April             Final PAA Boeing 314a service Honolulu- San Francisco

6 June PAA resumes San Francisco-Honolulu- Canton Island, Nandi-

                        Auckland air service

                        PAA starts San Francisco- Sydney air service, with DC4s

27 June          BSAA commences London- Santiago de Chile service with

                        Lancastrians

17 July            First TEAL Sandringham delivered at Auckland

1 August         BSAA nationalised by British Government to become BSAAC

16 September BCPA starts Sydney-Nandi- Canton Island – Honolulu- San

                          Francisco – Vancouver service using ANA DC4 aircraft

16 December  TEAL opens daily Auckland-Sydney schedule

1947

                        IATA clearing house opened in London

February         P.G. Taylor appointed chairman of Trans-Oceanic Airways of

                        Sydney

2 February     TOA starts SydneyLord Howe Island service

12 March        BOAC Horse Shoe route closes, BOAC S23s and S30s retired

21 March        Australian Government purchases BOAC stock of QEA

1 April             NAC formally takes over NZ internal air services (Union Airlines New Zealand and Cook Strait Airlines)

25 April           BCPA starts Auckland-Nandi- Canton Island – Honolulu- San

                         Francisco – Vancouver service using ANA DC4 aircraft

17 June          PAA starts first round world air service, Constellation NC 86520

30 June          QEA nationalised

16 July            TRAPAS opens Noumea-Santo-Vila- Noumea service

14 October     QEA starts Sydney- Norfolk Island service

29 October     TEAL S30 Aotearoa retired, replaced by Sandringham IVs

November      TRAPAS starts monthly service Noumea- Santo- Nandi-

                        Aitutaki- Papeete

1 November   NAC starts Auckland – Suva- Labasa service , Sunderland III

                        Mataatua (R.H. Makgill)

2 November   NAC commences Auckland- Norfolk Island service, DC3 ZK-

                        APB

16 November NAC commences fortnightly Auckland, Norfolk Island,

                         Nandi- NausoriTonga – Apia- AitutakiRarotonga

                         Service, DC3 ZK-APB

1 December  QAE introduced Lockheed Constellation aircraft on Sydney-

                        SingaporeKarachiLondon route, Lancastrians carry only

                        Freight and mail

3 December  TEAL Sandringham endangered by engine failure  mid Tasman

16 December QEA Lancastrian  commenced SydneyBofu (Japan) service)

18 December  QEA Coriolanus retired after complting Noumea- Sydney service, last S23

1948

                        BCPA obtains its on DC4 fleet

                        TRAPAS granted subsidy by French Government to restore

                        Bora Bora airstrips

                        TEAL selects Short S-45 Solent IV to replace Sandringhams

January           TRAPAS Catalina amphibian visits Auckland

23 February   TEAL Sandringham fleet grounded due to air cooling engine

                        problems. Australian DC4s chartered to maintain service

14 March        TRAPAS  suspends services due to fleet damage in hurricane

                        at Noumea

31 March        BOAC closes flying boat base at Poole, returns to Southamton

17 June          TEAL returned modified Sandringham to service

14 November QEA Lancastrian VH-EAS surveys Sydney-Perth- Cocos –

                        MauritiusJohannesburg route

1 December  BOAC Constellation G-ALAL opens London-Sydney service

3 December  BSAAC introduced Tudor IV on London-Lima-Santiago route

1949

                        BCPA replaces DC4s with DC6s. First pressurised airliners

                        In the South Pacific

1 January       NAC commences WellingtonChatham Islands flying-boat

                        service

13 March        Air Tahiti-RAI opens services within Society Islands and 

                        between PapeeteBora BoraAitutaki on an irregular basis

                        to connect with NAC service to Fiji and NZ

                        TRAPAS returns one Catalina to service, resumes schedule

10 July            CPA commences Vancouver – HonoluluCanton Island –Nandi

-         AucklandSydney service with DC4M Empress of Sydney

1 August         BASSC amalgamated with BOAC

15 September  TEAL monopoly reaffirmed on trans Tasman routes

29 September   First TEAL Solent IV delivered to Auckland

14 November    TEAL introduced Solent IV services

19 December    Final TEAL Sandringham service

 

1950

                      Air France surveys Paris-Saigon-Noumea-Papeete route TRAPAS wound up; subsidies diverted to RAI

31 March        NAC ends flying boat service to Chatham Islands ZK-AMK

2 May              QEA introduces Sandringham Ivs on Sydney- Noumea – Espritu Santo ‘ services. Aircraft obtained from TEAL

1 June NAC Sunderland IIIZK-AMK makes last  service on AucklandSuvaLabasa route RNZAF takes over Chatham Islands service

6 June TEAL takes over NAC NZ-Fiji service

22 July            QEA Catalina surveys Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and French Polynesia for prospective air routes

1 October       Amphibian service Invercargill- Stewart Island starts

3 October       TEAL commences WellingtonSydney service ZK-AMM

8 November   QEA DC3 commences Sydney- Lae- Rabaul- Honiara- Nauru-Tarawa serviced VH-EBE

15 December TEAL commences Solent flying boat services from Wellington to Chatham Islands.

1951

20 January     Chilean Air Forces Catalina flies from South America to Easter island

13 March        P.G. Taylor leaves Sydney to fly to Chile and return

29 June          TEAL commences Christchurch-Melbourne service with Charted DC4s from QEA

1 July              US Transocean Air Lines with 4 Catalina’s opens air services in Micronesia

September     TEAL survey Catalina flight from Auckland to Fiji, WesternSamoa, Cook Islands and Society Islands. Two further surveys

5 September Fiji Airways commences Nandi-Nausori (Suva) service with DH86 VQ-FAL

13 September  NAC completes 100  services on Auckland- Rarotonga route

 11 December  TEAL withdraws from Suva- Labasa service in favour of Fiji Airways

12 December   Fiji Airways DH89 VQ-FAL opens Nausori-Labasa

27 December   TEAL commences Coral Route from Auckland to Suva, Aitutaki- Papeete monthly

 

1952

26 May           TEAL increases Coral Route to a fortnightly service, calls at Satapauala, Western Samoa

July                  Trans Oceanic Airways ceases operations

August            TEAL Catalina ZK-AMP carries out survey work in Western Samoa

1 September QEA commences Wallaby route- Sydney-Johanneburg Fiji Airways commences NausoriSavusavu service

14 October     TEAL includes Apia on the Coral Route to Tahiti

31 October     NAC closes Auckland-Rarotonga route Air Tahiti makes a survey flight from Papeete to the Marqueas

 

1953

2 March          TEAL commences Auckland-Suva- Tonga service

May                 CPA introduces DC6bs to South Pacific route

October          Fiji Airways commences Nausori- Taveuni (Matei) service using DH89

14 October     Demise of BCPA announced at SPATC in Christchurch BCPA DC6s go to TEAL for Fiji-NZ- Australia feeder operations

                        As a regional service TEAL jointly owned by NZ and Australia

December      TEAL flies H.M. Queen Elizabeth II by Solent IV to Suva- Lautoka and Tonga

 

1954

17 March        TEAL replaces Auckland-Suva flying-boat service with Auckland-Nandi DC6 route

                        BCPA to be wound up. QEA to take over Sydney Vancouver Service

1 April             BOAC and QEA introduce tourist class fares on LondonSydney service

4 April             TEAL suspends Wellington-Chatham Islands service

8 April             BOAC suspends services to South America after Comet I grounded

14 May           TEAL introduced DC6s on Trans Tasman services

15 May           QEA commences Southern Cross Route Sydney- San Francisco -         Vancouver VH-EAD

TEAL DC6 commences Auckland-Nandi route

25 June          TEAL suspends Wellington- Sydney service

29 June          TEAL ceases all flying boat services except  Suva-Tonga and Suva-Apia- AitutakiPapeete. TEAL uses DC6s on all other

                        Routes

 7 July              TEAL flies the first of 17 charters Auckland-Tokyo for NZ forces in Korea

28 October     TEAL achieves 10,000th crossing of the Tasman Sea

18 November TEAL takes over NAC Auckland- Norfolk Island service using Chartered QEA DC4s

 

1955

18 November  TEAL takes over Auckland- Norfolk Island service from NAC, uses DC4s chartered from QEA

 1956

6 January       TAI opens Paris- Saigon – Brisbane- Noumea service with DC6bs

17 June          QEA replaces flying boats with DC4s on South Pacific routes

10 August       QAE introduces Sydney- Perth – London service

1957

4 February     TAI extends ParisNoumea service to Auckland, 21,287 Km’s in 57 Hours

10 February   TAI commences Auckland – Noumea-Paris service with DC6s

10 July            QEA Constellation calls at Christmas Island to pick up Air Force personnel

10 August       Chartered TEAL DC6’s fly round the clock between Honolulu and Christmas island during British Pacific Atomic tests

October          TEAL commences AucklandMelbourne service, experimental Service February

4 October       Ansett Transport industries acquires ANA (Australian National Airways)

15 October     First civilian airliner to visit AntarcticaPAA San Francisco- McMurdo sound

10 November  BOAC DC7c starts London – New York- San Francisco service connecting with QEA and TEAL services.

                          First British service UK-NZ-Australia via the Pacific

14 December  NAC commences first of five DC3  services to Chatham islands

1958

14 January     First QEA round world service

8 February     QEA purchases Fiji Airways from Gatty Estate, a controlling interest from September 1959

1 March          Final NAC service to Chatham islands

September     TAI purchases P.G. Taylor’s Sandringham VII for Air Tahiti-RAI

                        TAI commences Paris- Saigon- Noumea- Bora Bora with Fling-boat connection to Papeete

18 October     PAA Boeing 707 N719PA commences first jet round world service

1959

January           Fiji airways takes over Suva-Tonga service from TEAL, using DH Herons

31 March        BOAC establishes round the world operations

June                Polynesian Airways founded at Apia

4 July              TEAL opens Auckland- Brisbane service

29 July            QEA introduced Boeing 707s on AustraliaNorth America service

9 October       Korolevu Air Transport found for services within Fiji (Nandi Korolevu)

24 October     BOAC Comet IV jet surveys Sydney- Auckland route

27 October     QEA starts Sydney-Karachi – London 707 service

29 October     QEA starts LondonKarachiSdyeny service

November      TEAL introduces Lockheed Electra turbo props to replace DC6s

1 November   BOAC introduces Comet IV jets on LondonSydney via East service

1December   TEAL introduced Lockheed Electra service Auckland- Sydney – Auckland ZK-TEA

1960

5 January       TEAL introduced Electra turbo props service Auckland- Nandi

13 May           QEA introduced Electra turbo props on Sydney-Noumea service

2 July              TAA and Ansett replace QEA on Australia- New Guinea routes

11 July            PAA takes over Trans Ocean Airlines of Micronesia

26 July            TEAL resumes WellingtonSydney service using Electra’s

2 August         US South Pacific Airlines commences HonoluluBora Bora service using Constellations chartered from TWA

12 September TAI introduces DC8 jets on Paris-Noumea route

15 September TEAL replaces flying boats with DC6’s on Auckland – Bora Bora route Last TEAL Solent IV returns to Auckland

22 October     TEAL DC6 operates to Faa’a Tahiti replacing Bora Bora

13 December  Fiji Airways opens Fiji-Solomon Islands service, DH Heron

1961

January           First passenger and mail flight between Chile and Easter Island

24 March        TEAL Electra’s replace DC6s on Coral Route

April                Faa’s international airport open for jet services TAI commences Papeete- Wallis Islands- Noumea service

1 April             QAE opens on Trans Tasman routes

31 July            Fiji Airways takes over Korolevu Air Transport

16 September  TEAL commences AucklandPago Pago service

20 September   TAI commences Los Angles – Papeete DC8 jet service

 1962

14 March        US South Pacific Airlines commence fortnightly Honolulu- Pago Pago service using Constellations

May                 Air Tahiti RAI equips with DC4s, serves over 30 locations in French Polynesia

2 December  PAA introduces 707s on USA-Pago Pago route.

  1963

                        TAI merged into UTA

4 April             BOAC commences first jet service London-Auckland using Comet IVs

8 June           TEAL commences Auckland- Noumea service

5 July              Polynesian Airlines commences ApiaAitutaki- Rarotonga DC3 service

30 September Two USAAF C130 Hercules fly Cape Town – McMurdo Sound (Antarctica) - Christchurch

5 October       TEAL commences Wellington- Melbourne service

4 November   TEAL commences Wellington- Brisbane service

22 November  QEA opens Sydney-Fiji-Tahiti with Boeing 700s

28 December PAA commences Los Angles – Papeete jet service

1964

11 February   Last TEAL Electra departs Papeete, due to cancellation of landing rightgs

12 October     Ploynesian Airlines commences Apia- Tonga service

November      PAA allocated routes of US South Pacific Airlines

26 November QEA extends Sydney-Papeete route to Mexico- West Indies –Bermuda and London

 1965

                        Air India International commences London- Bombay – Perth-Sydney – Nandi (Fiji) service)

1 April             TEAL is renamed Air New Zealand

20 July            Air New Zealand first DC8 flies direct from Long Beach,California to Auckland

3 October       Air New Zealand first Christchurch – Sydney DC8 service

November      Flying Tiger Airlines Pole Cat flies around the world over theNorth and South Poles

23 November  BOAC opens London- Hong Kong – Sydney- Auckland – NandiBoeing 707 service Final BOAC Comet IV service Auckland- London

24 November  Air New Zealand opens DC8 Auckland- Sydney jet service

28 November   Air New Zealand opens DC8  Auckland- Nandi – Pago Pago jet service

 2 December  UTA commences Noumea- Auckland Caravelle jet service

14 December   Air New Zealand DC8 jet service Auckland- Nandi – Honolulu- Los Angles 

1966

15 February   Air New Zealand DC8 proving flight, NZ Orient

24 February   Air New Zealand Singapore- Auckland direct

3 March          Air New Zealand commences Auckland- Sydney- Manila- Hong Kong service

3 April             LAN Chile DC6b CC-CBF Manutara III Santiago – Easter island tourist charter flight

6 April             Air New Zealand commences Auckland- Sydney – Singapore service

26 June          NAC DC# charter flight to Chatham Islands

22 July            Air New Zealand Auckland- Honolulu- Los angles service

 4 November  UTA starts Noumea-Auckland service with Caravelles Air New Zealand landing rights at Papeete restored

 1967

April                Lan Chile commences SantiagoEaster Island  service with DC6Bs

October          Air New Zealand purchases 30% of Polynesian Airlines

1 October       Fiji Airways introduced Hawker-Siddley HS748 Turbo props on South West Pacific services

5 November   Air New Zealand resumes services to Papeete as part of Auckland- Papeete – Los Angles service.

1968

January           LAN Chile commences fortnightly Santiago- Easter Island- Papeete. Linking with London-Santigo (British United Airways),

                        Santiago-Papeete (Lan-Chile), PapeeteAucklandSydney (Air New Zealand). Alternative services from Papeete to

                        Australia by QAE and UTA

31 July            Cook Islands Airways founded, wholly owned by Air New Zealand

1969

15 February   Fiji Airways commences Suva- Port Moresby and Suva- Gilbert IslandsNauru with HS748s

June                South African Airways opens Boeing 707 service  Sydney-PerthJohannesburg – Rio de JanerioNew York. Offered as

                        Southern Hemisphere first round the world  serviced when Linked with Lan Chile services from Buenos Aires to Papeete

                        And Air New Zealand Papeete – Auckland- Sydney services

28 October     BOAC introduces VC10s on Sydney – Nandi- Honolulu – Los Angles- New York- London service

1970

2 February     LAN Chile replaces DC6Bs with Boeing 707s on Santiago Tahiti route

April                Air New Zealand opens Nandi- Nausori- Apia – Pago Pago-

                        Aitutaki- Tarotonga service through charter HS 178 from Fiji Airways

27 July            Ansett purchases Papuan Airlines

3 August         American Airlines commences Boeing 707 service New York-

                        Detroit – Honolulu-Nandi – Pago Pago- Auckland- Sydney service

20 August       Air New Zealand operates 4 flights per week NZ to Hawaii

15 September Air New Zealand orders 3 DC10 series 30 aircraft

1 October       Air New Zealand opens Auckland –Nandi DC8 service

                        connecting with Air Pacific of Fiji HS 748 Nndi- Pago Pago-

                        Rarotonge- Aitutaki- Pago Pago – Nandi service

4 October       PAA introduces Boeing 747 on South Pacific route San Francisco – Los Angles – Honolulu – Nandi- Sydney

                        Lan Chile introduces Boeing 707s from PapeeteEaster island-

                        Santiago- Buenos Aires – Rio de Janerio- Madrid- ParisFrankfurt service

December      Air New Zealand investigates excursion flights to McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

1971

31 July            Fiji Airways renamed Air Pacific

16 August       First Qantas Boeing 747 delivered

23 September  Qantas introduces Boeing 747s on Sydney- Singapore route

1 November   BOAC introduces Boeing 747s on England-Australia via Orient route.

                        Two services weekly to Sydney, one service weekly to Melbourne

6 November   BOAC replaces Boeing 707s on Singapore- Perth- Sydney-Nandi and Melbourne-Nandi services with VC10s

3 December  American Airlines its twice weekly New York – Nandi service to Melbourne

1972

                   Lan Chile prepares to survey Santiago- Punta Arenas- ChristchurchSydney route over the South Pole

5 January       UTA commences twice weekly service Papeete- Sydney-Paris using Super DC8s

11 January     First visit of Qantas Boeing 747 to New Zealand (Auckland)

19 January     Qantas introduces Boeing 747 on Sydney- Nandi- Honolulu- San Francisco route

March             Air Nauru seeks traffic rights for a scheduled service Melbourne-Brisbane- Noumea- Honiara- Nauru- Tarawa – Majuro

                        Air Pacific seeks traffic rights for Nandi- Noumea- Brisbane Service

                        Air France extends its Paris Santiago service to Lima (Peru) and Papeete

30 May           Air New Zealand Electra fleet retired- last service into Wellington, Turbo props replaced by DC8s

June                BAC demonstrates Concorde 01 (pre production model) on a Flight from Britain to the South pacific

December      Qantas introduced Boeing 747s on Trans Tasman services. Sydney- Auckland and Sydney- Christchurch

 1973

27 January     First Air New Zealand DC10 arrives

3 February     Air New Zealand DC10s enter Trans Tasman service

2 April             Air New Zealand DC10s operate thrice weekly on Auckland-Honolulu – Los Angles service

2 December  Air New Zealand opens Auckland – Rarotonga DC8 service

4 December  Air New Zealand re-establishes Coral Route using DC8

                        Auckland- Nandi – Pago Pago (subsequently overflown-RarotongaPapeete

1974

January           Agreement between Air New Zealand and British Airways Whereby Air New Zealand aircraft on Auckland – Los Angles

                        Route will continue to London under charter flown by British Airways crews

4 April             Air New Zealand opens ChristchurchWellington – Nandi service

May                 Air New Zealand Auckland – Pago Pago services direct

1975

25 April           Air New Zealand starts ChristchurchAuckland – Nandi –Honolulu service

1 June Last Qantas DC4 service Norfolk IslandAuckland

4 June NAC F-27s under charter to Air New Zealand open Auckland-Norfolk Island service

1976

3 April             Air New Zealand opens direct service AucklandSingapore

4 April             Air New Zealand opens Auckland – Sydney- Hong Kong service

1977

11 November  Air New Zealand received 8th DC10

1978

1 April             Air New Zealand and  New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC0 merge to form a single national airline.

 

Abbreviations

BOAC             British Overseas Airways Corporation (formed 1 April 1940 From Imperial Airways became  British Airways

CNAC             China National Aviation Corporation (owned by PAA to mid 1930’s

PAA                Pan America Airways (renamed Pan American World Airways On 25 September 1950

QEA                Qantas Empire Airways (formed in late 1934 to operate

                        BrisbaneSingapore air service. Nationalised 30 June 1947 Now called Qantas

RAI                  Regie Aerien Interinsulaire (Air Tahiti / Air Polynesie)

SPATC           South Pacific Air Transport Conference

TAI                  Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux (merged with UTA 1965)

TEAL              Tasman Empire Airways (commenced 1940, changed name To Air New Zealand 1 April 1965)

TRAPAS        Societe Franccais de Transports Aeriens de Pacifique Sud

UTA                Union de Transports Aeriens