FOR SAFER FLYING

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 99, 21 January 1936, Page 6

FOR SAFER FLYING

Blind Flying Essential For

Commercial Pilots

AUSTRALIAN DECISION

Uy 'l'clefri'iipli.--I’rcds A«hU.—< ’opyrigbl (Received January 20, 8.55 p.ni.i

Sydney, January 20.

The Civil Aviation Department has issued a notification to every airman in Australia holding a commercial pilot’s license that he will be required to pass before the end of the year an exacting test in blind Hying or lose his license.

Pilots will be required to “spin” a plane while flying it blind, also to stall it and make a cross-country iliglil lasting an hour.

POSITION IN DOMINION

Main Line Pilots Are Fully Qualified

Union Airways and Cook Strait Airwavs pilots have blind flying qualifications as high as, if not higher than, those set by the tests which are laid down for commercial pilots in Austia lia. Squadron Leader M. C. McGregoi went through a special blind-flying course on his visit to England and Flying Officer B, A. Blythe, who had considerable experience with Jersey Airways before being engaged to fly in New Zealand, is similarly qualified. Flight Lieutenant A. G. Gerrand, Flying Officer G. R. White and Flying Officer C. M. Duthie were put through a special course at Wigram Aerodrome under the supervision of oflicers of the Royal New Zealand Air Force before taking up their duties with Union Air ways. Flight Lieutenant G. B. Bob and Flying Officer A. T. Orchard, of Cook Strait Airways, are also qualified blind-flying pilots. The blind-flying course teaches 4 pilot to maintain control of his machine when the horizon is blocked out, such as by cloud or fog. He then relies on his blind-flying instruments. For the training course the cockpit in which the pilot sits is covered with a hood, so that he cannot see anything but his instruments. Pilots who have been through it say the blind-flying course gives them experience more testing than any likely to be met in actual commercial operation. ORDER FOR AMERICAN AIR-LINERS (Received January 20, 8.55 p.m.) Sydney, January 20. Three high-speed American airliners have been ordered by Airlines of Australia, Ltd., which intends to use them on the Sydney-Brisbane service. They are'tri-motored Stinsons, which carry eight passengers at a cruising speed of 160 miles an hour.

The Stinson air-liner, which enjoys a rather high reputation as. a machine of medium capacity, combining good performance with nioderate operating cost, is a low-wing monoplane with a retractable undercarriage and accommodation for two pilots sitting side by side with dual control and a cabin for eight passengers and a stewardess. - The passenger cabin is insulated against noise and has heating and ventilatiop systems. The makers claim that with three 260 h.p. Lycoming engines the machine will cruise at 160 miles an hour and that it will climb to 8000 feet on any two of the three engines. The machine is manufactured by- the Stinson Aircraft Corporation, founded by E. A. Stinson, one of the earliest pilots in the United .States, he having flown in 1911. His firm built the first machine incorporating an enclosed passenger cabin, engine starter and wheel brakes, the cabin being soundproof and heated for winter or'high flying, produced in the United States.

Only a little over a month has elapsed since the Commonwealth Government lifted the ban on foreign aircraft, partly because of the difficulty of receiving prompt deliveries of British machines suitable to Australian conditions, caused through the rush of orders to most makers consequent on the expansion programme for the Royal Air Force.