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the purser's job to see that there is enough food and beverages (including alcoholics) on board to meet all of his requirements.  In practice, he apparently is able to provide a snack or a plate luncheon or a drink at a moment's notice, and he is always there at the proper time with a snack already prepared.  The stewardess does all the serving. 
 
The Lockheed airplane apparently has the operational value of long range and fast cruising speed.  The average gas consumption on long range cruise is a little less than a mile per gallon.  This based on a speed of about 240 M.P.H. true and a gas consumption of about 275 gals. per hour average.  The airplane itself appears to require considerable maintenance.  On the trip outward across we had two mechanicals.  No. 1 engine had fouled plugs and No. 2 engine had a bad fuel distribution pump.  These difficulties were corrected at Gander.  A few hours out of Gander the auto pilot became inoperative directionally.  The auto pilot installation consists of an old style A-3 type pilot which is the same as used in the DC-3's.

On the return trip we again had a rough engine at Shannon, and on the way across we had a hydraulic system failure. On 2 of 3 different airplanes I rode, we had heating systems that had either partly failed or were inadequate.  This is not meant as a criticism of the operation.  It should be considered more in the light of a transitory condition or development, as I understand A.O.A. has plans for modifying the heating system and steps are now being taken to correct the difficulty.

A.O.A. names its planes after countries on its foreign operation.  The airplane is referred to by its name; passengers like it and it give them a feeling somewhat akin to what steamship travellers [[travelers] have for the "Queen Mary", or the "Queen Elizabeth".  In addition, the passengers are asked to remain