Chapter 44: 44, Discussing A Private Airline Company, Purchasing A Scrapped Potez 25
Although the ceasefire agreement is being signed, the garrisons on both sides in Shanghai are still in confrontation, and it’s not yet time to return.
Fang Wen returned Yue Jinping’s car, but because the trains from the Shanghai direction haven’t resumed yet, he couldn’t take the train back to Nanjing.
Fang Shouxin came up with an idea.
Take the Grand Canal.
Depart from the urban area, board a ship from the inner river next to Little River Straight Street, and enter the main Grand Canal.
The busyness on the main canal showed no sign of the impact from the nearby Shanghai war.
The ship went north along the canal, passing through Fuyang, Tonglu, and other places, eventually returning to Jiaxing.
This time, however, they didn’t stop in Jiaxing, continuing north along the canal, passing through Wujiang and other places, finally arriving in Suzhou.
This section of the canal was quite congested, with many ships moored. Through conversations among the boatmen, it was because of the Japanese Army’s bombing of Suzhou Airport, causing many local merchants to suspend water routes.
Then, passing through Wuxi, Changzhou, over Danyang, they arrived in Zhenjiang.
Finally arriving at the Qinhuai River in Nanjing.
Finally back.
This made Fang Wen, who was used to airplane speed, firmly decide in his heart that he would never take a ship for long-distance travel again.
The ship docked, Fang Wen stretched his body, called two rickshaws at the dock—one for himself, one for Fang Shouxin father and son—and headed to the airport.
Upon arriving at the airport, they found it deserted.
The airplanes of each aviation team had already left, with only a few passenger aircraft from China Airlines remaining on the airport runway.
Workers were repairing the runway, indicating that Nanjing Airport had also suffered bombing.
The airport garrison troops were still the original ones. Seeing Fang Wen, they didn’t stop him and directly let him enter.
After following Fang Wen into the airport, Fang Shun started talking more.
“Young Master, is this the runway you mentioned?”
“Yes, airplanes need to accelerate on the runway to take off.”
“Then where’s the airplane you fly?”
“Over there, White Clouds 3.”
Fang Wen pointed to the Detroit-type passenger aircraft in the second hangar and said.
A familiar figure appeared in the hangar—it was Howard, who ran straight over.
Shouting in not very fluent Chinese.
“Fang, you’re finally back. I knew you’d be fine.”
Howard opened his arms for a hug with Fang Wen, forgetting he was covered in engine oil.
“Don’t come over.” Fang Wen quickly stepped back.
Shunzi, not understanding the situation, was about to step out to block for the Young Master, but was held back by Fang Shouxin.
Realizing he was covered in engine oil, Howard grinned sheepishly and withdrew his hands.
The two walked slowly along the runway edge, talking about what happened after Fang Wen left.
“After I went to Jianqiao Airport, how were things here?”
“I don’t know about the other aviation teams, but the Guangdong Air Force later brought another batch of airplanes and participated in two air combats. After you bombed Izumo, they all withdrew. Fang, I heard there’s going to be a ceasefire, right?”
“Yes, Potez 25? Why is this airplane here?”
Fang Wen stopped, looking at the familiar fighter jet—this wasn’t the Potez 25 fighter reconnaissance aircraft he had used to bomb Izumo?
Even the modified bomb rack on the belly was still there.
Yet it was left alone in the open air, without even a rain cover.
“The airplane engine had a problem. It couldn’t fly back north, and the pilot has already taken the train back.”
“They’re abandoning it?”
“Probably, I’m not sure about the details, anyway it’s just left here. By the way, Fang, after the war ends, will you still be at the airline company? If you start a private airline company, I’d like to join as a mechanic.”
Fang Wen pondered.
It was time to prepare for his own affairs.
This was a complex, hugely invested major project that required long-term planning.
It wasn’t something that could be done just by saying so.
After arranging accommodation for Fang family father and son at the airport, Fang Wen began planning his own affairs.
A private airline company was not just an undertaking; it would also play a special role during future wars.
He needed investors, pilots, flight attendants, managerial personnel, logistics personnel, aircraft maintenance personnel, ticket sales for external business, airport flight path ground operations, company management, and more.
In his previous life, he had no knowledge in this area; it was all learned from China Airlines over the past year.
The current thing to do was, of course, to secure investment.
He dialed the telephone number Shopkeeper Liu had left him.
“Hello, I’m looking for Shopkeeper Liu. He’s not available to take the call? What’s wrong? Oh, is Sun Debiao there? Ask him to take the call.”
In a row villa on Rue Lafayette in the French Concession.
Several tycoons from the Northeast lived here. They could afford to live separately but felt it safer to huddle together temporarily in this crisis.
The servant shouted loudly from the first floor: “Sun Debiao, come take the telephone.”
Sun Debiao, who was chatting idly on duty with other bodyguards, responded loudly: “Coming, who’s looking for me?”
“Said it’s from Nanjing.”
Sun Debiao was originally indifferent, but suddenly remembered something, immediately delighted, and hurried downstairs in big strides, taking the microphone.
“Is that Commissioner Fang?”
“Yes, I just heard Shopkeeper Liu had an accident. What happened?”
“Sigh, these days with soldiers and chaos, plus thieves eyeing us. Japanese soldiers didn’t enter the concession, but plenty of gangsters came, all coveting our families’ wealth. At first, they took some silver dollars under the guise of protection, but later their appetites grew, and we stopped giving. Then they blocked our procurement personnel outside, leaving us without food or drink. No choice, us bodyguards had to take turns going out to protect procurement and fought them several times.”
“Did they beat Shopkeeper Liu?”
“Worse than that. These gang couldn’t win with fists, so they played dirty, even firing black guns. Shopkeeper Liu was hit in the foot during one procurement outing with us; the doctor says he’ll need a crutch for half a year.”
“Can he take a call now? I need to talk to him about the private airline company.”
Sun Debiao paused. Even with no business sense, he knew Fang Wen’s proposal was far better than those scoundrels, thugs, gang, swindlers, and socialites who just wanted to scam money.
“Commissioner Fang, wait a moment, I’ll bring him over.”
The telephone was set aside, instructing the servant not to hang up, and Sun Debiao hurriedly ran to the back courtyard.
Soon, he carried Shopkeeper Liu, whose right foot was bound with a splint, over.
Without setting him down, he let Shopkeeper Liu take the call while carrying him.
“Commissioner Fang, about the airline company, I told the patriarch. Because the investment is huge, he wasn’t sure, and consulted several other families. They think your suggestions are good but lack confidence and don’t dare decide.”
Fang Wen’s voice came from the microphone: “Tell them, I’ll handle the approval document; they just need to invest and take shares.”
Shopkeeper Liu was immediately delighted—that was the promise they needed—and quickly replied: “I’ll tell them right away.”
The approval document was just an entry point.
In this chaotic era, the most important thing was interests—how to divide the cake.
Only this way could the first private airline company be established.
How to divide this cake and the interest shares required careful consideration.
Fang Wen drew up a table.
The Aviation Bureau and Ministry of Communications, representing superior direct management, must get a share.
It was impossible to grease all other National Government departments, but the Revival Society, where Yue Jinping was, could be given dry shares.
As for other entities to deal with, he didn’t need to worry; he trusted the Northeast families could handle it.
The Aviation Bureau side had connections with Instructor Liu and Nanyuan Aviation, making it easy to deal with.
The Ministry of Communications side was the same, contactable through the Aviation Bureau channel.
For the Revival Society, probe through Yue Jinping.
To handle these, he’d need to run around several places; having a means of transport would make it much easier.
He thought of that Potez 25 fighter reconnaissance aircraft scrapped at the airport due to engine problems.
If he bought it at scrap price and repaired it, wouldn’t he have his own private airplane mount?
Others might not have the confidence, but his mechanical perception could clearly understand the engine interior problems and perhaps fix it.
Thinking this way, Fang Wen was very tempted.
He found a way to contact the Northeast Army side and sent a telegram.
【Today learned that you have a scrapped military aircraft parked in Nanjing, this airplane no longer able to fly. Can it be transferred at low price?】
After sending the telegram, Fang Wen awaited their response.
After all, a scrapped military aircraft that couldn’t fly back was just scrap metal; if it could be exchanged for money, they might agree.
