AVIATION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20037, 19 September 1930, Page 11

AVIATION.

NEW BRITISH FLYING BOAT. NOVEL. FEATURES IN DESIGN. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) (Received September 18th, ,5.5 p.m.) ETJGBY, September 17. The biggest British flying boat ever made is to be constructed at the Supermarine works, Southampton. It will have six Rolls-Royce engines of 3700 horse-power, extremely comfortable accommodation for 40 passengers, and a range of 1000 miles, enabling it to make long journeys with only occasional descents for fuel. It will be: a monoplane, and its huge wing, with a 140 feet span, will be six feet thick, and will accommodate luggage and stores. Many new features are included in the design of the hull, which will be .100 feet long. Pilots and engineers will have an upper deck with a navigation bridge to themselves above the passengers' quarters, giving access to the wing and the engines. The machine will be built all of metal, and will weigh, when fully loaded, 33 tons.

IMPERIAL AIRWAYS* PROFITS. LARGE SUM F6R OBSOLESCENCE. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) RUGBY. September 17. A preliminary statement of the results of Imperial Airways for the year ended March 31st shows that, despite the world-wide trade depression, which was very liable to affect air transport, the profit, before deducting charges for obsolescence, was over £145,000, compared with £115,000 last year. With the rapid development and mprovement in air design, the directors nave set aside £85.000 for obsolescence, as against £36,000 last year. The vcar was the first of the Eng-land-India service, which proved very profitable. Less profit was made on the shorter services, owing to the competition of heavily-subsidised Continental cirlines. CAPTAIN MATTHEWS'S / PROGRESS. « (beitish official wireless.) * RUGBY, September 17. Captain F. J. Matthews, who yesterday left Croydon on n solo flight to Australia flew non-stop to Belgrade at an average speed of 115 miles an hour, and is continuing to-day, via Stamboul and Aleppo. DETAINED BY BAD WEATHES. (Received September 18th, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, 'September 16. A message from Belgrade states that Captain Matthews has been detained there by bad weather. FLYING TO KENYA. TWO CAMBRIDGE UNDERGRADUATES.

(Received September 18th, 7 p.m.) LONDON, September 17. Two Cambridge undergraduates, Kenneth Shenstone and Pat Fairbairn, iwho left Croydon on a flight to Kenya, have arrived at Marseilles. They may fly later to Australia.