OSCAR GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 20635, 7 November 1930, Page 9

OSCAR GARDEN

FLIGHT TO SYDNEY ARRIVAL AT BROKEN HILL Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, November 6. Oscar Garden left Alice Springs early this morning, and arrived at Broken Hill, where ho will remain overnight. He will reach Sydney to-morrow afternoon. THE TASMAN FLIGHT VIEWS OF AIRMEN TAKING TOO MANY RISKS [Srxcur. to n* 'St**.’] CHRISTCHURCH, November 6. Should Oscar Garden, the Christchurch airman, attempt to fly the Tasman, what are his chances of’success? That was the question put to qualified local airmen to-day, andin every case it was agreed that, with a strong, favourable wind and no engine trouble, he could possibly make it, though, at considerable risk. Should he attempt the flight in a light seaplane it is thought that the risk would in no way ho diminished, for were he to be forced down in the Tasman the waves would soon swamp his machine. “There’s only one chance of a successful trip,” said Mr J. C. Mercer, of the Canterbury Aero Club, “ and that’s a strong westerly wind. His machine will stand the journey, I think, but its petrol capacity being limited he will need to keep dead on the course. Can he do that? Well, little is known of his navigating abilities, though his Australian flight shows that he can keep his head. No doubt his reported knowledge of machinery helped him on that flight. He would be able to tell if his engine were not running as it should, and so come to land; but across the Tasman it would be a case of keeping on no matter what happened. Even if he used a light seaplane, the floats would not be largo enough to keep the machine above water long.” Questioned regarding the possibility of Garden being refused permission to leave Australia in his present machine, Mr Mercer said there had been an attempt to prohibit land planes being taken more than 200 miles out to sea, but he understood that such a restriction was not now in force. “1 do not think there will bo any objection to his attempting the flight,” he added, “but I consider that he would be well advised not to do so. After all, people know that the trip can be done in a suitable plane. The Southern Cross flight proved that. Even should ho be successful, I think people will still consider that ho took nri unnecessary risk.”

Another qualified pilot agreed that Garden had a chance of getting through successfully, though, of course, everything depended on the weather. It was I not known whether Garden had sufficient knowledge of air navigation to ensure success. He would encounter much “blind flying,” such as he had not experienced on the Australian flight. This pilot did not think Garden would be able to secure a more suitable type of machine for the Tasman trip than the one he used on the flight to Australia. Most air services insisted that pilots flying their machines should have at least 800 hours’ flying experience, and it was generally believed that Garden had not that.

Mr N. H. Barlow pointed out that Garden’s machine had a petrol capacity that limited his time in the air to about sixteen hours. Provided the wind was favourable, and the machine was kept dead on the course, the trip could he accomplished in that time, though he himself thought that it was expecting too much of the machine. “If lie attempted the flight in a larger machine, with a navigator and a wireless operator, I think ho would stand a better chance of getting through,” said Mr Barlow. “The Australian authorities will probably allow him to leave, but I think he would be well advised not to attempt the flight.” •