FLIGHT SANCTIONED

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 188, 8 May 1934, Page 9

FLIGHT SANCTIONED

Codock’s Tasman Venture DECISION OF AUTHORITIES Melbourne, May 7. The Civil Aviation Department does not intend to accept the suggestion from New Zealand to prohibit SquadronLeader White’s flight In the Codock monoplane over the Tasman. The Superintendent of Flying Operations (Mr. Ross), who participated in the Codock’s trial flights, has certified both pilot and machine, and therefore Squadron-Leader White will be able to carry out the flight, providing he carries no passengers for hifb. Squadron-Leader White, who is now in Sydney, deciares that, there is no hope of flying the Tasman before May 18. “NEVER IN QUESTION” Suitability of Machine and Pilot By Telegraph.—-Press Association. Auckland, May 7. Referring to the cable message from Sydney last week stating that Squad-ion-Leader White was to fly across the Tasman in the Codock monoplane, the oi’ganiser of Dominion Airways, Ltdsaid he believed it had been sent under a misunderstanding. There was. never any. intention to prohibit the flight, but, as announced by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith on Saturday, the flight had been cancelled owing to Sir Charles’s departure for America, and also owing to the fact that the New Zealand summer is over and that a joy-riding tour which it was proposed should follow the Tasman flight would be unprofitable. Mr. Withers said that there had not at anv time been any question of the .suitability of the machine or the pilot for the flight. TESTING AIRSHIP United States Trials New York, May 6. 'rhe United Press, in a copyrighted Washington dispatch, states that the airship Macon, which, since the destruction of the Akron and the placing out of commission of the Los Angeles, is the only navy airship on active service, is now manoeuvring with the main battle-fleet, in the Caribbean Sea.on tests the results of which will have an important bearing on the forthcoming decision whether to continue or abandon airship construction. Since the Akron disaster in 1933 it. has been learned authoritatively that, despite official attempts to minimise the incident, the Macon was affected with structural difficulties in her recent trans-Continental flight •from California, and sheared two girders, necessitating repairs. The airship also experienced difficulties with climatic changes affecting the heliuni gas with which it is filled. AUSTRALIAN ORDER 24 Amphibian Planes Melbourne, May 7. The Minister of Defence has announced that 24 Seagull V. Amphibian aeroplanes are being ordered in England at a cost, landed in Australia, of £345,000. These machines may be catapulted from cruisers or seaplane carriers. They have a speed of 120 miles au hour at 5000 feet, and can dive at. a rate of 200 miles an hour. MISS BATTEN IN ENGLAND Determined to Try Again laiudoii, May 6. Miss .Jean Batten arrived at Lympne from Rome in her repaired machine and continued the flight to Brooklauds. She expressed determination to try again as soon as possible, in order to avoid the monsoon. She added that everyone in Italy was very kind, but a return to England was impossible until an Italian lent her the underwings of his machine. She must have new ones made, because her old type was now not stocked. She will return the Italian’s wings and start immediately her own use fitted. GOODS SERVICE BY PLANE I .mi don. May 5 The "Dully Express" states that goods planes will be introduced in internal air services on February 11. travelling from London to Manchester in 75 minutes.