Flight, May 1932

SPEEDING UP OF THE AIR MAIL
"Swissair" Company puts New Machines on Zurich - Vienna Route

   FOR the first time in the history of commercial flying American aircraft are being used on an European air route. The route in question is, as recorded in FLIGHT of February 5, 1932, that between Zurich and Vienna, via Munich, and the company which operates it is the Swiss company "Swissair."
   Hitherto, what with relatively long stops at Munich, the route speed has been low, 142 km./h. (88.2 m.p.h.). By putting the new fast machines on the route the speed has been increased to the somewhat impressive figure of 260 km./h. (161 m.p.h.). It should be realised that this is the actual time-table speed, i.e., the speed made good over the route, including the stop at Munich. By cutting down the time for refuelling a further saving in time is, of course, obtained, so that the increased route speed is not due entirely to the higher cruising speed of the new American machines, but in part to the shorter stay at Munich.
   The time-table drawn up for the "Swissair" express service between Zurich and Vienna is as follows: Leave Zurich 9.10 a.m.; arrive Munich 10.10 a.m.; distance, 150 miles. Leave Munich 10.20 a.m.; arrive Vienna 11.40 a.m.; distance, 229 miles. The times for the return journey are: Leave Vienna 2.15 a.m.; arrive Munich 3.55. Leave Munich 4.05 p.m.; arrive Zurich 5.10 p.m.
   The Zurich business man with business to transact in Vienna is thus able to leave in the morning, attend to his affairs in Vienna (the stay is of approximately two hours, allowing for the journeys to and from the aerodrome). At Munich the time available between the arrival of the machine in the morning and its return to Zurich in the afternoon is even longer. It is believed that the number of business men who will wish to avail themselves of this new rapid travel will be such that on most flights the machine will carry its full complement of four passengers.
   The new express air service came into operation on May 2, and the machines used (two) are, as previously recorded in FLIGHT, Lockheed "Orions," with 575-h.p. Wright "Cyclone" engine. The machines are low-wing cantilever monoplanes, and have retractable undercarriages operated hydraulically.
   The main data relating to the Lockheed "Orion" are as follows :- Length o.a., 8.50 m. (27 ft. 10 in.); wing span, 13.0 m. (42 ft. 7 in.); wing area, 27.3 m 2 (294 sq. ft.); tare weight, 1 630 kg. (3,585 lb.); disposable load, 820 kg. (1,805 lb.); gross weight, 2 450 kg. (5,390 lb.); wing loading, 18.35 lb./sq.ft.; power loading, 9.38 lb./h.p.
   The maximum speed of the "Orion" is given as 365 km./h. (227 m.p.h.), the cruising speed as 290 km./h. (180 m.p.h.), and the landing speed as 96 km./h. (60 m.p.h.). Probably landing speed is nearer 75 m.p.h. The nominal power expenditure per paying passenger appears very high, but as the cruising speed is a large percentage below the maximum speed, it is fair to assume that the power required at cruising speed is a comparatively small percentage of the maximum power, so that the actual power used for cruising is probably nothing like as extravagant as the maximum power figure would indicate.