THE TASMAN FLIGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 82, 17 January 1928, Page 5

THE TASMAN FLIGHT

ALLEGATIONS IN SYDNEY.

AIRWORTHINESS IN DOUBT.

COMMENT BY NEWSPAPER. (Per Press Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The “Sydney Morning - Herald,” in a leading article on the Tasman flight, says: There have been disquieting stories of the condition of the ship’s navigating instruments, and it is said that the New Zealand airmen were pressed at Richmond to delay the flight until everything had been thoroughly tested, but .that they would not listen to argument. If the stories are true, and if the machine’s instruments were defective, the airmen should' not have been allowed to leave. The Federal Government afforded assistance to the extent that Australian Air Force mechanics would see, as far as possible, that the machine was airworthy before it took-off on the flight. < The “Herald” asks: How can a machine be considered airworthy if the navigating instruments are defective? The article concludes : “This criticism is not uttered against the officers and mechanics at Richmond, who did their utmost. The New Zealanders rejected the professional advice they were given on the point, but some inquiry and report seem to be demanded, because the further question arises whether in those circumstances the Governments’ lifted embargo should not have Jjeen reimposed. The truth or otherwise of the rumours referred to ought— if in justice only to our own Air Force —to be set at rest. Had they been current so as to arouse these desperate suspicions before the flight began, the local demand would have been unanimous that it Should have been forbidden. Both the Commonwealth and New Zealand Governments were in a degree responsible. They condoned passively the general recklessness of the venture. They should have prohibited the flight; but the New Zealand Government responded to representations from local interests on behalf of the airmen, and the Australian Government lifted its ban out of courtesy to the New Zealand Government’s request. Each Government washed its hands of responsibility, and the airmen were allowed to fly on their own gamblers’ judgment on the principle that it was their own risk. We maintain that with official control of flying, all Government responsibility was not so easily disowned. That is at least the moral view of the affair, and local inquiry should enforce very salutary lessons.

CAPTAIN MOODY’E PLANS.

PROBABLE USE OF SEAPLANE. BRISBANE, January 16. Captain Mordy, who contemplates crossing the Tasman, with Mrs Moody, in a Ryan monoplane, was formerly senior pilot of the Queensland Air Service. He will interview the authorities with a; view to making satisfactory arrangements, and thinks he will use a- seaplane, thereby complying with the Australian Air Force regulations regarding flying land machines' over water.