USE OF SEAPLANES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 68, 17 September 1926, Page 8

USE OF SEAPLANES

SEARCH FOR MISSING VESSELS.

The fact that no trace has so far been found 'of the steamer Awarua has given rise to a suggestion that a seaplane should be located in the vicinity of Wellington for the purpose of assisting in the search for missing vessels.

It is pointed out that if a seaplane was stationed either at Lyall Bay, or even at Trentham, and was equipped with wireless telegraphy so as to be able to keep in constant communication with the shore and with vessels fitted with wireless, it would provide an additional means of helping to find an overduo ship, especially in a case like that under notice where distress signals were observed near the shore.

A seaplane, of course, could only be used during the day time, but it would be able to remain in the air for several hours, and, given favourable conditions, would have a wider range of visibility than is to be obtained from the deck of a steamer.

It is further pointed out that in the event of an order for search of a missing vessel being given in the day time a seaplano could get under weigh much more quickly than a tug, and that it's high speed of travel would enable it to cover a wide radius in much quicker time than a steamer. If equipped with wireless a seaplane locating a .missing ship could give exact details of its position to the searching vessels.