EXPERT WAS DUBIOUS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 63, 8 December 1930, Page 11

EXPERT WAS DUBIOUS

RlOl’s Fatal Flight

FUEL REQUIREMENTS Need for Mooring Masts REFUSED BY MINISTRY By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. December 7, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 6. At the final sitting of tlie Court of Inquiry into the loss of the airship Riot, SquadronLeader Nixon, who is in charge of tlie organisation at Cardington, speaking under stress of emotion, recalled that WingCoinmander Colmore, one of the victims who was director of Airship Development, inspired the drawing up a document estimating the fuel requirements for tlie Indian trip. This showed much more difficult conditions than were expected.

Wiug-Commauder Colmore told witness that Major G. H. Scott, who was in charge of the flight, would have to satisfy him that the conditions were more favourable before he sanctioned leaving Karachi. He would not run risks even under Lord Thomson’s pressure, therefore he asked that arrangements be made enabling Lord Thomson to return in an aeroplane by October 20 if necessary.

Wing-Commander Colmore for two years previously had urged the construction of mooring-masts at Malta, Bagdad, or Basra not only in view of possible emergencies, but because the move would be commercially sound when the service began. The Air Ministry answered that the airship programme already was much extended and the Treasury could not be asked for more money before some flying was done. Squadron-Leader Booth, questioned regarding Dr. Eckener’s evidence, gave it as his opinion that an airship generally does not keep to an accurate height. After changing the watch the coxswain going off should stand by the newcomer for two or three minutes to see that he got the correct feel of the ship.

Dr. Eckener said previously that if the coxswain was changed shortly before the accident the newcomer might not have realised that the ship was dipping, and, this being so, would not have taken the measures necessary to counteract the movement in time to prevent a crash.