THE MOTOR (By Autos.) IN THE AIR WHY SCOTLAND DID NOT FLY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 71, 25 March 1914, Page 4

THE MOTOR (By Autos.) IN THE AIR WHY SCOTLAND DID NOT FLY.

*¦ Though Scotland is not yet "in the air'' — at the time of writing — a good many people are talking aviation. Some want to know why Scotland did not fly on Saturday atternoon and why lie did pot fly subsequently. They are the people who think men go up in aeroplanes in all weathers nowadays. For this sort of impression exaggerated reports of windspeeds are, no doubt, much to blame. If an airman goes up and meets a gusty breeze lie is apt to put it down as a living gale. This is partly caused by the fact that the pilot sits directly in the wake of the propeller and gets nob only its air-wash, but the full windage of the machine travelling up to 60 miles an hour as well. Anybody, who has stood behind a big aeroplane propeller revolving at 1200 to 1400 revolutions per minute knows what the wind is like. Add to it the speed of the machine in flight and you get a wind in your teeth sometimes up to 90 miles an hour — that is hurricane rate. As a matter of fact, the greatest pilots seldom go up in winds of more than 30 miles an hour. ' Here is a passage taken at random out of the latest issue of Flight to hand (7th February) :~"Very little flying took place at Hendon last Saturday on the occasion of the Metropolitan Meeting, owing to the somewhat dangerous wind that prevailed. It was blowing from the southwest in strong gusts varying from 30 to 40 miles per hour, but otherwise it wa3 not so very unpleasant on the ground. Arrangements had been made to hold a, speed handicap round the aerodrome, but conditions did not look at all favourable for this kind of event, &o at 3 o'clock Louis Noel, with a passenger,' braved the elements on the 75 h.p. Maurice Farman in order to ascertain >}[hat it was like up above. Noel's machine was blown about in an extraordinary, not to say alarming, manner, but he remained up for some considerable time, and made several circuits of the aerodrome. When flying broadside on to the wind the biplane appeared to make about as much progress sideways as it did forwards—which made it very strange to watch. Just as Noel was about to land, Philippe Marty came out on the Morane-Saulmer monoplane, and taxied out* over to the far end of the aerodrome in order that he might get off head to wind. H« turned round and started off, but had hardly got up speed when, owing to the bumpy nature of both ground and wind, the left wing tip struck the ground and the machine made' a terrific cart wheels the left wing crumpling up under the body and the nose of the machine digging into the ground with the tail pointing upwards ; •it then settled down on its side with the right wing vertical. Marty was thrown out a yard or two from the machine, and remained lying on the ground for about half a minute, and then everyone was relieved to see him try and get up. lie was* unable to walk, however, and he was seen to fall back again. Assistance was quickly on the way to him, and Noel, who had just landed, flew over to the scene of the smash, the ambulance car, with Dr. A. B. Leakey in charge, being close behind. Marty was speedily attended to, and it was found that i'ortu. rtately he had only sustained slight injuries to his legs and chin, although, of course, he was also badly shaken by the fall. On examining the machine, the damage done was found to consist of a broken left wing, elevator, engine, and propeller, but otherwise little or no further damage was done. Whilst Marty was being attended to, F. W. Goodden taxied over on the 45 h.p. Caudron, and, on learning that nothing serious had occurred, ascended. He put up a really brilliant exhibition flight, reaching a good height and making some fine banked turns. Noel had reported that it was unsuitable ior racing, it being very tricky, near the ground, so it was announced that the race would have to be cancelled. By this time it was 4 o'clock, and -Noel made another flight on the Maurice Farman, accompanied by a passenger. The machine was taxied out to the far side of the aerodrome, held down by a man at each wing tip. On turning round and starting off against the wind, the biplane was lifted almost vertically off the ground. Its progress towards the enclosure was exciting to watch, for it was with difficulty that Noel kept it up, and he was_ almost beaten to the ground several times. However, he made several circuits of the aerodrome, and, except for another short flight, the proceedings were brought to a close." That is Hendon, one of the great centres of the world's aviation, in a wind no worse than that which prevailed at the Athletic Park here last Saturday. There are many points in which Hendon has great advantages over the Athletic Park. In the first place, it is about ten times as large in area. It is in the cquntry, with open fields about it and very few buildings. "The Athletic Park is miserably small, and it is, moreover, surrounded by buildings on all sides. At Hendon the airman can come down outside the ground in many places ; at Athletic Park there is practically no outside landing place for miles around. The Basin Reserve might do in an emergency, and Wakefield Park is another, but both of these are in awkward hollows, which, for aviation purposes make -them still smaller than they are. Then, Athletic Park is at the neck of a sort of funnel, with the Brooklyn hills on one side and the Mount Victoria and Island Bay ridge on the other. It is notoriously one of the windiest places in Wellington, which is notorious for its winds. Further, it will be noticed that the machines which did go up at Hendon on the day in question wei;e fearfully buffeted about by the wind, and more accidents might easily have happened, with more serious results than the one which actually accurred. Somebody at the park said ! that if Hawker had been there instead of Scotland he would have gone up. I doubt it very muerT indeed, though Hawker has twice the horse-power to his engine that Scotland has to his, and that makes a big difference. The odds were qurte ten to one on Saturday against a successful flight without eccident. At the same time the public had •a right to grumble at their treatment in the first instance. It was the first pviation meet held in Wellington, in:l it was not for the average man to rnniorstand that he would get a ticket admitting him to see another (light in case the one he paid for did not come off. One might suggest to the management that in future, on any day when the question of flying or not fly,iiig is in doubt at all, everybody passing through the turnstiles ish,> lid be given a check ticket, which in event of no flight taking place he would present on the- next advertised date for a flight. The man who pays his money is cprlainly entitled to that much It Might be also wise to insert in every advertisement of an intended aviation exhibition the words "weatljer permitting," and then there can be no misunderstanding. Up to the time of writing about a couple of thousand people have paid to see a flight, and no flight h.is tuken place. The golden houi'3 of fcunday evening and Monday morning wore allowed to pass unused. It is regrettable indeed that aviation has to be commei'ciali&ed in this country to pay its way, if it rtoPB that. It has succeeded commeiualJy, at Homo

apparently only through the big organised week-end and holiday events at Hendon, with all London to draw from and in passenger carrying generally. In this country, with far worse winds and fewer people, there is not the same outlook. It is really, so far as real progress is concerned, a matter for the private wealthy enthusiast to encourage or the Government to aid. If some of the wealthy men there are in New Zealand wish to encourage aviation they could easily do ifc without vety great expense by offering a premium tor long cross-country flying, or by assisting financially promising inventors and aviators. TJie Government, on the other hand, might help on aviation by a subsidy of so much a mile for cross-country work of a kind calculated to facilitate military reconnoitring or otherwise serve the requirements of the Army or Navy. Exhibition flying i 3 of the loast nse for this object. It makes the aviator take all sorts of useless risks by flying in circumscribed areas and unsuitable weathers. It prevents him from flying when and where it suits him. If the Government gave encouragement to aviators to fly and to inventors to build by premiums on approved flights and on approved machines that will fly, they would soon have enough men to fly the " Britannia," or any other aeroplane they might get, and men to look after the machines. At present they are doing nothing, and the only future for the "Britannia," one of the finest aeroplanes in the world even to-day, seems to be the storeshed at the Barracks and slow decay. Much sympathy has been felt for Mr. Schaef in his latest piece of ill-luck— the total destruction of his monoplane by fire last \veek._ It is understood that insurance partially covers the loss, but no money can compensate for the wiping •out of two years' work on a machine just at a time when there was a prospect of fruition. Mr. Schaef has received expressions of sympathy from all ovet' the Dominion, including a letter from the Wellington Motor Cycling Club. He is apparently determined to go on with the game, in spite of the latest disaster, and will build another machine. He intends first, however, if he can possibly manage it, to take a trip to the Old Country and see the flying business at close quarters. He may, if he thinks it worth' while, join a flying school and take his pilot's brevet. At all events, he will look into the construction of as many machines as possible, with a view to the embodiment in his new plane of the latest practice. Mr. U. S. Bender, the well-known racing motor-cyclist, of this city, left last Friday for a prolonged visit to the Old Country, the Continent, and America. He will probably be away some two years altogether, and during that time will see what there is to be seen in the automobile and flying worlds. If he finds it worth while, he will go in tor aviation and take his certificate. He intends to tour the Continent and America on Etoi Indian 'motor-cycle, and will compete, all being well,, in the various big motorcycle trials during the summer season in the Old Country. These include the London to Edinburgh run and the Six Days' Trials. The new . 13.9 h.-p. Swift car, for which Messrs. 'VVitcombe and Pym are the local agents, is a fine example of the best type of the moderate- priced English automobile. The design is very attractive, 1 and the power piant runs beautit fully. One of the 'most remarkable points about the car is its ability to just crawl along on top geal'— i» fact, the writer was astonished at a car with a comparatively low-powered four-cylinder engine moving along without jerk, at a walking speed, on top gear. This is very useful in traffic work, where, otherwise, constant gear changes would be required. The carburetter is 1 a Otaudd-Hobson, and gives every satisfaction; 'The new Swift should certainly find a ready market in this country, where a good car Its always appreciated. The current issues of Flight announce that Mr. ( H. A. Cooper, another New Zealander', son of Mr. Justice Cooper, has taken his airman's brevet at Hendon. Mr. Cooper was a contemporary of Mr. Scotland at ttendon, a.nd took his certificate on a Canadian biplane in the W. H. Ewen School. This year's Grand Prix set down for running on 4th July promises to be one of the most spectacular and most keenlycontested motor-car road races, yet held in the world. _ The splendid total of thirty-nine entries has already been received, and there may yet be others at double fees. This year's race will be held on q, 23^-mile circuit, near Lyons (France), which will be negotiated twenty times, making a total of about 470 miles. The contest will be a thoroughly tional one, as the following countries will be .represented : — France (with 12 cars),, England (with 6), Germany (with 8). Italy (with 9), Belgium (with 2), and Switzerland (with 1). One of the most interesting features of ' the race will be the re-entry of the Mercedes car into the racing world, this being the first occasion' Upon which the great Canstaff firm have raced a car since carrying off the Grand Prix in 1908. Some of the entries are decidedly interesting. The great rivals) the Peugeot, Delage, and Sunbeams are once more engaged, and, in addition to the last-named cars, there will also be three Vauxhalls, representing England. Germany will have five Mercedes and three Opels, whilst Italy will have a strong team in three "F.1.A.T." cars, two Nazzares, three Aquila-Itali-anas, and one Caesar. The French team will comprise three Peugeots, three Delages, three Alda, and three Schneiders. There will be several winners of previous Grand Prix races amongst the drivers. George Boillot, twice winner of the greatest French race, will naturally again drive a Peugeot car; Victor Rigal, winner of the three litre Grand Prix, on a Sunbeam, 4 will this year be seen on a Peugeot ', Lautenschlager, winner of the 1908 Grand Prix, will again drive a Mercedes ; Bablot and Guyot, respectively first and second in the Grand Prix de France last autumn, will have Delage cars ; Nazzaro, winner of the 1907 Grand Prix, will this year be seen at the wheel of his own car ; Wagner, once a Vanderbilt Cup winner, will be one of the members of the F.I.A.T. team, whilst three fine drivers in K. Lee-Guin-ness, J. Chassagne, and D. Resta will handle the three Sunbeams.