BRITISH AIRSHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 4

BRITISH AIRSHIPS

ROAD OF EXPERIENCE

OVERSEA FLIGHTS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 13th March.

Lord Thomson, Secretary of State for Air, in a memorandum accompanying the Air Estimates, refers to the future of the airships 8100 and 8101. "The trials of: the airships," he writes, "have shown that a satisfactory mceasure of success has been achieved, despite delays inevitable in a field so novel and experimental. Both airships have proved to be thoroughly stable and easy to control. ' KlOl rode at the mast through weather of exceptional severity (including gales with gusts up to 83 miles per hour) for a month on end, while RIOO has attained a full speed of about 81 miles per hour, which is as high as that of the Graf Zeppelin, an airship' of much smaller diameter.-

"On the other hand, owing to the unexpected difficulties met with in the development of the heavy oil engine, 8100 has had to be equipped with petrol engines, and is, therefore, not suitable for navigation in the tropics. 8101 is equipped with the first engin operating on the compression ignition system with heavy oil which has ever been

used as a power unit iv aircraft in this country; but owing to difficulties in tho development of a variable-pitch airscrew one of the airship's five engines has to bo reserved for going astern, while the weight of the power system as a wholo is, and mast, for the . time being, remain considerably higher than was estimated.

"It has been decided, in accordance witli the policy of 'safety first1 which has been followed throughout, that an additional bay should be inserted in 8101 before a flight to India and back is undertaken..

"Provision is made in these estimates for tho carrying out of a programme of oversea flights between now and' April, 1931. The intention is that EIOO should in the late spring or summer carry, out a flight or flights to the tower erected at Montreal, and duringthe winter should operate between Cardington and Ismailia. 8101 is to fly to India and back in tho autumn, and wUI then be used for experimental operation on the Indian route. 'This is essential in' order to obtain the data necessary before a commercial service on this route can be established."