BRITISH AIRSHIPS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 86, 10 January 1928, Page 9

BRITISH AIRSHIPS

DEMONSTRATION FLIGHTS TO BE MADE

IMMEDIATELY VESSELS ARE AVAILABLE BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Copyright. London, January 6. Full of the optimism of the Air Mission, which has returned from Australia and New Zealand, the Air Ministry has decided to go ahead at the earliest possible moment with demonstration flights immediately the two airships are available. It is expected that the first available will be RlOO, which is being built by contract by the Burney Company, probably late in 1929. In view of the fact that the engines are petrol-driven, the Ministry’ prefers that the demonstration should take place under normal, equable climatic and atmospheric conditions. It has, therefore, decided that the first demonstration will be to Canada, probably in the Canadian autumn of 1931. and thereafter there will be another demonstration to India. The second airship, RlOl, building at the Air Ministry’s works at Cardington, will probably be ready early in 1930. This airship is fuelled with heavy oil, and, therefore, better suited to cold, and to sub-tropical and tropical climates encountered between Britain and the Cape. The first trip of RlOl will be limited to the Cape, and the second to Perth via the Cape. It is proposed to date the trip when favourable winds will enable the airship to utilise only two out of the five engines between the Cape and Australia. It is also proposed to return via Ceylon, when there are favouring winds over the Indian Ocean to Ceylon and Egypt, which the Air Ministry prophesies will probably become one of the world’s greatest air ports.

LINDBERGH FLIES OVER VOLCANOES

San Jose (Costa Rica), January- 8.

Colonel Lindbergh reached here after crossing the Central American group of volcanoes, an aeroplane record. He was welcomed by a crowd of 50,000. —• Sydney “Sun” Cable.