TASMAN AIRCRAFT TESTING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 143, 30 March 1948, Page 4

TASMAN AIRCRAFT TESTING

Overcoming Heating Trouble GOOD RESULTS OBTAINED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 29. Gratifying results were reported after test flights made to-day and on Sunday in the Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat New Zealand. The aircraft is one on which the company’s engineers, headed by Mr G. B. Bolt, have been working for some weeks, and throughout the holidays in 4 an effort to incorporate modifications (to Mr Bolt’s design) intended to reduce cylinder head temperatures fn certain conditions of flight. No official statement has yet been issued by the company, but it is understood that, after further air tests to-morrow, results will be reported to the Civil. Aviation branch of the Air Department with a view to obtaining certificates of airworthiness for the company’s four Tasman class aircraft.

All air tests since the engineers’ research passed from the design and work-bench stage have been done with the New Zealand. She is now fitted with four reconditioned Pratt and Whitney engines and certain modifications havje been incorporated. The tests have included flying and climbing on three engines at their rated power. All air tests have ( b een made by Captain A. V. Jury, who has been accompanied by ground engineers. Particular interest has been shown in the ’ engineering work and its resuits by three prominent British aircraft experts, who reached Auckland last week. They are Messrs R. H. Warde, a representative of the; Air Registration Board of Great Britain, S. G. Marshall, senior flight technician employed by Short and Harland, Ltd., of Belfast, and E J. Crowson, technicial officer of the British Overseas Airways Corporation. Cases of other aircraft like the Tasman type having engines run unduly hot in certain conditions have been reported from abroad, and there js interest in the possibility that a problem encountered by engineers in different countries may have been finally solved by the engineering staff ot Tasman Airways.