ALOFT AT LAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 244, 15 October 1929, Page 7

ALOFT AT LAST.

RlOl TAKES THE AIR. World's Greatest Dirigible Easily Handled. TRIAL A HUGE SUCCESS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY/ October 14. The new British airship RlOl made a successful trial flight to-day. At 20 minutes past eleven she was released from her mooring mast at Cardington Water ballast was let out and the airship drifted in the wind, gaining height. The engines amidships were started and the leviathan air liner moved majesticallv southwards. After she had been travelling for twelve minutes her commander, Major Scott, sent out a wireless message: "Everything is going well and the ship is behaving splendidly." it a height of about 1200 feet the airship circled over Bedford, affording a magnificent view to thousands of watchers. No attempt was made to attain a great speed and only the three back engines were running. The airship then made for London. She was moving at only about 40 miles an horn- and accompanying aeroplanes, appearing like midgets against her, had to dive and climb and turn in order not to outstrip her. General admiration was expressed by the spectators at the graceful lines ot the air monster. It had the appearance of a huffe silver fish gliding through the sky. After circling over London for half-an hour the airship : rising higher, tmned, and in an hour was back at Cardington. After the RlOl was safely moored, Major Scott issued a broadcast statement from the top tower of the mooring mast. He described the flight as very satisfactory, everything going off extraordinarily well. He said that the ship handled very well and answered to the controls with the greatest of ease. "We did not run at full speed. or anything approaching that. We went easy at first and worked up to about 50 miles an hour. We shall have speed-trials later. The noise of the engines was very slight in the passenger car. We had no engine trouble. "The first trial has been most satisfactory, and considering that this is the biggest airship that has ever been built it°promises well for other big airships. The whole handling of this big ship proved much easier than we had hoped," Major Scott stated. . The airship carried a crew of 3S and 14 passengers. Air Vice-Marshal Sir John Higgins, of the Air Ministry, was one of the passengers. Luncheon was served during the flight.