Loading freight aboard a Piaggio aircraft at Port Moresby

Abstract

Loading freight aboard a Piaggio aircraft at Port Moresby. Long before roads had been made into the interior of the Territoy, the development of almost inaccessible regions was pioneered with air transport to an extent then unparalleled in comparable circumstances elsewhere in the world/ With the stimulation of gold discoveries, for example, airfields were opened in the 1920's at Salamaua, Wau and later at Lae. Aircraft used in the Territory now range from DC 6B's on external routes and DC 3's on major internal services, to easily-manoeuverable Cessnas which can land on strips cut into the rugged countryside. There are six airline companies operating on internal routes in the Territory, and two on external routes, operating on 184 airfields (including private strips) and 34 alighting areas for seaplanes. The number of routes has increased from 27 in 1950 to 51 in 1960. Show more