AnnualReport-1939 — Page 175

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AIR SERVICES 1939.

1. The slight decrease in traffic for 1939 as compared with statistics for 1938 is due mainly to (1) the Japanese occupation of Canton and Hankow in December, 1938, and the subsequent reduction of the daily schedules, (2) suspension of the all-up mail and temperary dislocation of Empire route services through the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. Since the Japanese occupied Hankow and the neighbouring territory, the services to Chungking have been reduced and the flights undertaken by night. The suspension of the all-up mail service has resulted in a big drop in mail figures as well as a curtailment in the schedules of Imperial Airways.

are:-

Five air line companies still maint. in a regular service from the airport; they

(1) Imperial Airways to Bangkok

(2) Air France to Paris via Hanoi

(3) China National Aviation Corporation to Chungking, Hanoi and

Rangoon

(4) Eurasia to Chungking via Kweilin

(5) Pan American Airways to San Francisco.

GOODWILL FLIGHTS.

2. These were undertaken by JU-52 aircraft of the Deutsche Lufthansa from Berlin to Tokyo via Hong Kong. The first machine-D-ANJH-arrived in May and carried 11 passengers; it passed through the airport on the return flight. The second aircraft-D-AGAK-arrived in August with 4 passengers for Hong Kong; it likewise passed through the airport on the return journey but has been held up in Bangkok owing to the outbreak of the war in Europe.

FAR EAST FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL.

3. The school had a fairly active year in both the flying and engineering departments. The outbreak of hostilities in Europe and the subsequent mobilisa- tion of the flying instructors curtailed the activities of the flying section to a certain degree during the latter part of the year. Two out of the five machines in service were badly damaged, but the remaining three maintained a continuous training both for private pupils as well as for members of the Volunteer Air Arm. A total of 1691 hours was flown by the school; 16 pupils obtained “A” flying licences and 2 pupils obtained "B" flying licences. In the engineering section 10 students passed the examinations for Government certificates.

AERODROME EQUIPMENT.

4. The equipment was substantially increased during 1989. The 6 K.W. shadow-bar landing floodlight on the roof of the control tower was re-erected after having been badly damaged in the September, 1937 typhoon. A weigh- bridge for aircraft up to 35 tons was installed on the north side of the hangar. A Dines pressure tube anemograph was erected in the administration building for recording direction and force of winds up to 200 m.p.h. Four "Short" rubber buoys were delivered in March to augment the marine equipment, and a "Smoke Wind Indicator" delivered at the end of the year will be installed early in 1940. Five further stores are in the process of building at present to cope with the urgent demand for further accommodation by the operating companies. The hangar annexe was extensively re-wired and converted into workshops for China National Aviation Corporation and Eurasia.