As with many pursuits, it's always better to keep it short, sweet

In case you missed it, here's some exciting news. Australia's Qantas Airways is testing the feasibility of direct flights from New York or London to Sydney.

The airline will have three test flights, two from New York, and one from London. The first of these flights left New York at 9:30 pm on Oct 18 and arrived in Sydney 19 hours and 16 minutes later.

The aircraft had four pilots, who took turns sleeping, and a cabin crew of 10. There were 50 volunteer passengers, some of them recruited from frequent Qantas flyers. NBC Television, a major broadcaster in the United States, sent a newsman along to give viewers a firsthand account of the experience.