PROGRESS IN THE AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 80, 5 April 1938, Page 12

PROGRESS IN THE AIR

R.A.F. PERFECTION

CAPTAIN TAYLOR'S IMPRES-

SIONS

The opinion that had the plans of the late Sir Charles .Kingsford Smith for a trans-Tasman air service been put into effect the service would have been operating for three years now was expressed yesterday by Captain P. G. Taylor, one of the pioneers of Pacific and Tasman flights, reports the "New Zealand Herald." Captain Taylor, who was an associate of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, is returning to Australia by the . Niagara after a four months' tour of England and America. Captain Taylor arrived in England in December, his main purpose being to investigate the most recent aircraft developments. He was,, interested in various types of aeroplanes used in'the Air Force, the perfection of which, he said, was absolutely staggering. '. I "I also saw some huge flying-boats, said Captain Taylor. "For flying-boats there seems to.be no limit to size, whereas the land machine appears to have limits on account of the size of landing grounds and the weight and complications of landing gear. The fly-ing-boat has practically nothing to offer from the point of view of safety in an emergency landing at sea. Consequently the designing of aircraft has been towards a type that simply will not be forced to land at sea/" ~ , : The impression Captain Taylor gained as a result of his investigations was that in service aviation the RoyaL Air Force had nothing to fear from s; any other air force in the world. In civil aviation America was considerably ahead of any other country. Referring to Pacific flights, Captain Taylor said he saw the China Clipper arrive at Alameda, San Francisco, and took the opportunity of inspecting the machine and. equipment. He was very •impressed by. the thoroughness ■-■ and efficiency with which the machine was operated. - ~ ~, Captain Taylor was impressed by the sight of. the British and American flags flying quite dose to one another on Canton Island ds the Niagara passed the .island on the voyage to New Zealand. Whatever the outcome of the situation at Canjton Island, he said it was a good thing it was the United States that Britain was dealing with, as no doubt a friendly solution would be found. The importance of the Phoenix Group was realised by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and himself when they flew over the islands in 1934 A recommendation was then made to the Australian > Government that the islands should be used as British flying-boat, bases. ,