PROSPECTIVE ATLANTIC FLIGHTS.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 78, 28 September 1918, Page 14

PROSPECTIVE ATLANTIC FLIGHTS.

It is stated, according to the Daily Mail, that there is a possibility of a South American airman attempting to fly the Atlantic this year. That journal takes the opportunity of pointing out that its prize of. £10,000 for such a flight has never been won, and reopens its offer. It will be remembered that this prize was suspended on the outbreak of war, but in order to stimulate the production of more powerful engines and more efficient aircraft it has thought well to revive it. Referring to this announcement, Plight states: " A vast amount of progress has been made in aircraft since the beginning of the war, but great as has been the advance, there is still a longway to go before the attainment of the ideal shall have been consummated.

... So far as the technical difficulties are concerned, we should not like to say that they are actually already surmounted, but we not only think that the chances of success are immeasurably greater than they were more than five years ago, when no fewer than eleven competitors had announced their intention of trying to win it, but that they all now point to it being done. Engines are tar more powerful and reliable, and machines are 'more efficient than then. All that is missing is the necessary time —and material—to be spared from the work of war to prepare for the effort; in fact, there seems to be more than a probability that the Atlantic flight will be actually achieved before the end of the year. ■ At least, it appears practically certain that it will be attempted under tie auspices of the British and American Governments. " Major-General Brancker, who is on a special mission to America, is reported by the New York press to have said in an interview in Washington that: "An enterprise which must be carried out as soon as possible is the flight of the Atlantic. Once this has been established) America's output of large bombing machines can proceed to Europe by air, and so save the shipping that is so invaluable for other purposes. The-e is no reason why a considerable number of great aeroplanes and seaplanes should not crow the Atlantic during next lummw, and the sooner » pioneer proves;

the flight not only to be possible but comparatively safe, the better." "The Aero Cliib officials in New York have been enquiring as to probabilities, and find, apparently to their surprise, that aeroplane manufacturers regard the Atlantic flight as- almost being a park of the day's work. Indeed, Mr. Workman, the Handley-Page representative, has definitely said, according to the same report, that he will agree to the attempt for a. bonus of no more than £500 over and above the contract price of the machine. . \ . In addition to the above reported offer made by Mr. Workman, Lieutenant Belloni is also said to be arranging terms for the flightl in a Caproni, while General Brancker has said definitely that there are, at the present moment, three aviators in Washington, not counting himself, who are perfectly willing to make a trial."