WORLD CIRCUIT IN 12 DAYS

Dunstan Times, Issue 3382, 11 July 1927, Page 8

WORLD CIRCUIT IN 12 DAYS

GERMAN AIR BID. Around the world in twelve daysi i.ins is the startling project of Dr Hugo Eekener, who new irom nclishaten to New York in the Z o, and wiio now proposes to circumnavigate the gfotse, m three hops ot four clays each, in another giant dirigible. Or Eekener. who is tlie head ot tlie Zeppelin factories at Enednchshaten, has been in Madrid in connection with the negotiations which have been proceeding tor some time for the organisation of a passenger, mail, and goods service by Zeppelin between bpam anti South America. He said that it is now certain that the service will be established, and that an airship which will make regular flights between Sevd e and Buenos Aires is now being built at Friedrichshafen. It is in this airship, which will be able to carry forty passengers and ten tons of mails, that Dr Eekener proposes to fly round the world. He referred to his project when I asked him if ho had heard of the plan of Major Herrera, the well-known Spanish aviator, to make a non-stop flight round the world in a dirigible in twenty-thiee 1 “Yes,” Dr Eekener replied, “but it seems to me that twenty-three days is too long. He should defer making tins attempt until the new fuel, ‘etano’ gas, which we shall use instead of petrol is perfected, for it will permit ot a greater speed than that which Heueia contemplates. I also intend making a round-the-world flight in the Zeppelin of 105,000 cubic metres now under construction at Friedrichshafen. ibis flight will be made in three ‘hops, each of four days. These ‘hops’ will be as follows -.—-Friedrichshafen to Vladivostok ; Vladivostok to Vancouver ; Vancouver to Friedrichshafen. No stop will be longer than six hours, just long enough to refuel. I think that this flight, apart from its scientific value, will be the best possible advertisement for our Seville-to-South America service.” , , ~ , Dr Eckerner said that he knew that a French company had been given a contract by the Argentine Government for the carriage of mails by air, but lie diet not think that this was of an exclusive character, and, if it were, lus airship would go to Montevideo, in Uruguay, instead of Buenos Aires. It was only a matter of an hours' flight between the two' cities. Furthermore, Dr itckelicr added, tlie French company intended to use seaplanes. The running expenses ot suck machines were higher than those ol unships. The French company would nave to charge 9s an ounce for mails, whereas a Zeppelin would be able to carry 1U or even 20 ounces if necessary tor the same sum. .. 1 asked) Dr Eekener whether, even il he should) not obtain the mail contract for South America, he would carry passengers across the Atlantic. “certainly I shall,” ho replied). For long-distance trips, the airship is greatly superior to the airplane. An airplane uses a great deal more fuel than an airship. Tne bigger the airplane the heavier are running expenses. No air line operating airplanes can maintain itself without a heavy subsidy, general ly amounting to 7 6 per cent, or 80 per cent, of its expenses. Even the Lon-don-Pans line, which carries the heaviest, traffic oi any in the world, works at a loss. Airship lines, on the other hand, can meet their expenses without a Government subsidy. Moreover, travelling by airplane is noisy and tiring, wluie a trip in an airship is not unlike a journey in a steamer. “Airplanes are good for short distances, but for long trips the airship js the better craft. Airships can operate at any time of the year and in any weather, and on long non-stop journeys si oh as the run from Seville to Buncos A ?es they have sufficient reserve of fuel to enable them to avoid storm centres by going, if necessary, out ol their direct course. lam convinced that the future belongs to the airship. “The Allies did all they could, for military reasons, to delay the development of airships. That is why the public thinks more of the airplanes just now. But wait until we are free to build airships again. You will see then what a Zeppelin can do. The value of the Zeppelin will be shown by r the result of the Friedrichshafen-Vladivos-tok-Vancouver-Friedrichshafen trip.”