FLIGHT JO AUSTRALIA.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 250, 21 October 1919, Page 5

FLIGHT JO AUSTRALIA.

POSTPONED THROUGH FOG. CAPTAIN MATTHEWS' PLANS. HOPEFUL OF SUCCESS. By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, October 20. Reports from the Continent of extenive log areas decided Captain Matthews o postpone the start of his flight to Australia. Ie prevailing fog in London .nd the South of England would not lave deterred the pilot, but he thought, t unwise to risk uncertain landings. He iad planned to reach Cologne on the first tage, and intends to make the most of he first day's flight by covering a subtantial distance, therefore he decided at nid-day to wait until to-morrow, when ie is determined to start at 9 o'clock f the Continental weather report be avourable. A crowd of friends gathered at tho lerodrome at Hounslow. Captain Mat;hews and Lieut. Kay submitted to nany photographers after they had comileted the last details of packing the ations of cocoa, chocolate, tinned stuffe, tnd thermos flasks. The machine was uned to the moment, the mechanics havng put on the finishing touches the >revious night. Hawker, who intended to fly from a leighbouring aerodrome and escort Mathews a few miles, telephoned and earned of the postponement. Hawker lew Matthews' midline in all the tests. 3e says that the engine is even more jerfect than the similar one he used in iis trans-Atlantic attempt. A pilot flyng such a machine must stand a good hance. Matthews when asked whether he was ■onfident that he would succeed, replied 'Xo. but T am hopeful. It is impossible :o be confident in the face of such a task, jut I am satisfied that nobody could lave a better machine for the attempt. have just arrived from a farewell visit ;o my mother at Strnnraer, who said ;he hoped I would soon reach my second ionic in Adelaide. Kay was disappointed at the postjonement, because to-day is his birthlay. He embarked in Australia for the iront on his birthday. He never thought of undertaking*the flight, but .vhile awaiting repatriation by steamer it Camp Murdeott he was approached jy two Australian ollieers who failed to <eeure an aeroplane, and thus got into ;ouch with Matthews. Kay, who was an Migine expert in Ballnrat. considers with Matthews' knowledge of navigation, .•oupled with his own experience of engines, and both sharing the flying Duncans of dual controls, they have the jest possible chance. The human factor s reliable; the only unknown quantity Iβ the engines' powers of endurance jnder conditions varying so much that x preliminary test is impossible.— (A. md N.Z. Cable.) Every possible, safeguard has been provided, including spare engine parts md also a spare propellor, tucked inside the machine, which loaded weighs 30001b. The machine has the international registration sign, G. —E.A.K.S.. in large black letters on the upper and lower wings. Experts fear that Poulefs air-cooled enginee will prove a possible source of delay when flying in the tropics, and express the opinion that Matthews' water-cooled engine will give a greater chance, but it is generally considered that the difficulties are almost insurmountable within the allotted time.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) Capt. Matthews' flight is regarded as particularly daring, in that his onlj companion is a good mechanic, who does not know anything of piloting or navigation Matthews has duplicate controls fitted into the mechanic's 6eat, but he intends to do the whole of the pilotage and navigation himself. This will mean an extraordinary strain on him. Replying to criticisms regarding the doubtfulneee of the policy of not taking a reliel pilot, Captain Matthews says that an expert engineer is preferable to a semicompetent mixed crew. He ie not alarmed at the French experience of the evaporation of water during the receni test flight to Dakar, West Africa. Al the eorapetitore are using large radia tors and taking other precautions suited to the tropics.