DISTANCE FLYING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 41, 27 November 1937, Page 7

DISTANCE FLYING.

BRITAIN TO SEEK RECORD.

NON-STOP TRIP TO SINGAPORE

(United Press Association—Copyright.. LONDON, November 25. The Air Ministry, in its statement regarding the proposed developmental flights, says: “Bristol Pegasus engines will be used with variable pitch airscrews. Wing-Commander 0. R. Gayford will be in command. It is proposed to make trial flights along the Eng-land-Australia route in the spring of 1938. It is intended that one of these flights shall be made during the New South Wales sesquicentennial celebrations.” Now-stop to Singapore. The aviation Avriter of “The Times” says: “The Vickers machine, bn its, flight to Australia, may make only one stop, probably at Singapore. The designer has stated that the machine should have a range of 8000 miles in still ajr. Given favourable winds; this might allow a non-stop flight to Singapore, but a halt on this side of Singapore might still allow a non-stop flight to Sydney. “Wing-Commander Gayford’s experience will bo used in training the pilots and planning the journeys. Each aeroplane will have two pilots.” “The Times,” in a leading article, says: “Four years have passed since Britain attempted the world’s record long-distance flight. The’ ltoyal Air Force now seizes the opportunity to pay a graceful tribute to Australia as a contribution to its sesquicentennial.

“The Air Ministry is to he congratulated on the thoroughness of its preparations over so long a period of development without demonstration. It has been wise to place the flight under the command of the officer who made the last long-distance flight for Britain. “The mere proposal to attempt with standard' military aircraft is significant. The policy of the Air Council and the fruits which it has yielded in the design of. aeroplanes and engines, if successful, will serve a most useful purpose as a sample of progress, and especially as an assurance to the British territories overseas, which might need, in an emergencv, to look to Britain for help.” The long-distance flight record was won for Britain in February, 1933, by Wing - Commander (then SquadronLeader) O. R. Gayford and FlightLieut, G. L. Nicholls, who flew- from Cranwell to Walvis Bay (South-West Africa), a distance of 5341 miles,. in 57 hours 25 minutes. This record was broken in August, 1933, by the French airmen, MM. Codos and Rossi, who flew from New York to Rayak (Syria), a distance of 5657 miles.