U.S.A. FLYER’S “BLOWER”

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 September 1934, Page 7

U.S.A. FLYER’S “BLOWER”

CENTENARY RACE CLAIM THROUGH THE STRATOSPHERE [BY CABLE—PBI43S ASSN. —OOPYBIGHT.] . NEW YORK, September 1. A dispatch states that Wiley Post will shoot through the stratosphere like a. rocket in the Centenary air race, arriving in Australia on the second day of the race, if his plan succeeds. He has fitted a blower to his engine, which delivers thin air from the stratosphere, thus enabling him to breathe and obviating any necessity for carrying heavy tubes of oxygen. The engine collects the thin air, and delivers it at sea level atmospheric pressure. If the pressure becomes too great, a valve cuts off the supply. The breathed air is discharged through valves in the boots of an airtight suit in which Post will be encased. He will wear an aluminium helmet that is equipped to receive the transformed air.

Post expects to get at least 350 miles an hour speed at a height, of seven miles above the earth, His airtight suit carries a small supply of oxygen in the event of the blower failing. British air experts regard Post’s plan as feasible. They say that if Post succeeds, it will be the most sensational flight in history.

WITHDRAWALS. LONDON, September 1. Guiet, Courtenay, Goertz, Butlet and Weddell-Williams, have withdrawn from the Centenary Air Race. INSURANCE RATES. LONDON, September 1. The Pool underwriters announce that their premiums for insuring entrants for the air race are as follow: Death, 8 per cent; death or disability 10 per cent.; aircraft to the value of £lOOO, 20 per cent.; aircraft to the value of £lO,OOO, 15 per cent; aircraft valued at over £lO,OOO, 10 per cent. One-third of the premium paid will be returned to the individual competitors in the event of no claim being made. STRATOSPHERE FLIGHTS ’ LONDON, September 2. The “Sunday Chronicle” publishes an article from Sannemoser (Switzerland) stating that Dr. Picard is planning to ascend twenty miles into, the stratosphere in a new type of balloon. Dr. Picard believes that stratosphere flights from London to New York in six hours, are not far distant. U.S.A. RACES. NEW YORK, September 1. In connection with the national air races, which are being held at Cleveland, Roscoe Turner to-day • bettered his own trans-Continental record, by 2 minutes 39 seconds. He flew from Los Angeles to New York a distance of approximately 2520 miles, in 10 hours 2 minutes fifty seconds, halting for fuel three times at Wichita, Kansas, at St. Louis and at Cleveland. His average speed was over 250 miles an hour.

AUTO-GYRO MAIL. LONDON, September 1. “If it is successful it will revolutionise the commercial development of aviation,” says the “Morning Post,” apropos of next week’s attempt to use the roof of the General Post Office for the delivery and collection of air mails by auto-gyro. GLIDING COMPETITIONS. RUGBY, August 31. The National gliding competitions take place during the next ten days near Thirsk (Yorkshire), and many pilots will take part, several flying in succession in the twenty or thirty machines which will be available. It is generally expected that British records for height, distance, and the present duration record of eight hours will be broken. Meanwhile, the British Gliding Association is engaged in evolving a scheme for the use of the £5,000 annual subsidy granted by the Government, in the provision of sites, machines, and instructors.

TRAVELLING AIRMEN WELLINGTON, September 3. An arrival to-day by the Makura from Sydney, was Flying Officer W. E. Hooper, New Plymouth, who has been with the Bombing Transport squadron R.A.F. in Iraq during the last iahteen months. He spends a month with relatives in New Zealand before proceeding to England to undergo an instructor’s course at the Central Flying School. He stated there were three other New Zealanders in the squadron in iraq, number 70, these being Trewby (Mangaweka), Calder (Christchurch), and Lamb (Wairarapa). Another airman on board the Makura is the American mail pilot, R. Leonard, en route back to the States after a quick combined pleasure and business trip round the world which when he arrives back in ’Frisco will have taken approximately just sixty days. His object has not been to create a record, he said. He mentioned the time only to show the possibilities afforded by modern methods of transport. He flew from Los Angeles to New York by commercial air line, and flew from London to Singapore by Imperial Airways. Had he made the best connections at each stage of his journey, he said, the tour would be cut down to six weeks.

Questioned about the Melbourne race, he said he would probably act as a source of information. He had some interesting matters to report to his company when he returned home.