BENEATH THE WINDSOCK

Evening Star, Issue 20943, 6 November 1931, Page 2

BENEATH THE WINDSOCK

[By Gipsy Moth.]

NEW THEORY ON KINGSFORD SMITH’S FAILURE.

Was sunstroke or a nervous breakdown responsible for .Kingsford Smith’s failure? Or what was it? From one well qualified to pass an opinion comes a now theory. Specialists’ and doctors’ views to the contrary, a theorist blames monoxide poisoning. He points out that Avith the DH9a’s, which had four stubs instead of an exhaust pipe, the passenger in the hear cockpit was subject to this poison after four hours’ flying. That Smith’s plane did not have an exhaust pipe, but four stubs, and that ho would be relatively in the same position as the passenger, and would bo subjected to the same poisonous fumes. And whereas the passenger was adversely affected after four hours Kingsford Smith had fourteen hours of -it. Monoxide, says this theorist, brings about an anremia, first affecting the heart and then the brain. Kiugsford Smith’s symptoms were consistent with the effects of this poison. Neither Scott nor Mollison had this fumes trouble. Rut their planes were of a different type. Actually the slightest' protuberance on the engine cowling would direct the fumes into the cockpit or deflect them. An interesting theory, and one that would probably have 'the backing of Air Force medical officers. If it is right the question of dispensing with exhaust pipes should come in foxserious attention. STAND CLEAR! As told by an eye-witness at the testing of the “ sprint ” engine used for the successful attempt -on the world’s air record: “Those standing near feel the ground x-ocking under their feet; the exhaust blast, jetting froni short pipes, digs a hole in the ground 15ft away from the test bench.” CHEAP TRAVELLING. Statistics more complete and iuformative than any previously kept by a private flyer were compiled by Mr and Mrk Humble, who flew recently from Cape Town to Glasgow, the trip being made to combine business with pleasure. Including a little “ joy riding ” at places along the route, and, in the wording of this private chronicle, “ dying 152 miles unnecessarily and wasting Hi 33min in regaining correct route,” the couple flew 10,496 miles in 107 hours, making an average speed of 98.1 miles an hour. The engine consumed 608 gallons of fuel, equivalent to 17.2 miles per gallon, a figure much better than is secured in most of the larger kind of motor cars. Oil amounted to forty gallons. TRAINEES' CRASH-FREE ACHIEVEMENT. Statistics of the Australian Civil Aviation Department show the splendid instructional work being done by Adastra Airways, Sydney. But it was loft for the controller to personally point out a unique feature of this work. He said that Adastra had trained twentysix pilots this year, and their pupils had flown 2,000 hours without even breaking a wire. In this respect, he declared, Adastra must have established a world's record. NEW WIND INDICATOR. The first smoke-emitting typo of aerodrome wind indicator in England has been installed at Hamworth and is proving satisfactory in every way. The new apparatus, which was invented by a prominent German engineer, consists of a triple burner consuming a low grade oil and heating a plate on which is dropped oil of approximately the same quality. This is then omitted from a funnel in the form of a dense white smoke. Situated as it is in the centre of the landing circle, it gives the pilot an admirable and accurate indication of the wind where it is most needed. The new invention will doubtless soon replace the familiar windsock, which is a crude and unsatisfactory method, since it indicates winds which are not necessarily used in landing. SMALL TOWN' VENTURE. A member of .the Dannevirke Club is engaged in rebuilding an Avro-Aviau which he purchased after it had been crashed last Christmas. The plane is almost finished and ready to take the air. Ho is building a-hangar on his father’s farm at Maharahara, whore there is a good-sized paddock for landing. Ventures of this description, if properly carried out, are in the best interests of civil aviation in the dominion. “ VETERAN ’'.PARACHUTIST. There is probably no man in Australia who has made more parachute descents than Jack Milne, of Sydney. Ho must be nearing the century mark. His favourite altitude for a take-off is 3,000 ft, although he -has dropped from nearly double that height. Ho likes the lormer, because it gives him atmosphen enough for safety and because it gives the crowd its money’s worthy Only once was Milne really worried, it is reported. That was when, the toggle—it releases the chute—refused to act. For I,oooft there was still no response, and finally, when the parachutist had only 800 ft to go, ho managed to get one baud into the pack and wrench the ’chute out. An unpleasantly narrow shave, but Milne’s nerve was unimpaired. COMPRESSED AIR’S POWER. Jets of compressed air enable a remarkable 180 ft airship which was tested recently near Milan, near Italy, to land without a ground crow. Tho nose of tho ship contains live valves, through which a centrifugal pump blows air in any direction. There is a similar set of valves in tho tail. By opening valves tho pilot may manoeuvre his craft up, down, or sideways through tho reaction from tho compressed air jots. In ordinary flight the craft is driven by a conventional propeller.