The Hawera Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1924. PIONEERS IN AVIATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 August 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1924. PIONEERS IN AVIATION.

Delivered e*dry evening Dy & o’clock In Hawera, Manaia, No-nmnby. Okaiawa, Eliham, Pateu, Waverley, Mokoia, Wbakamare, Oiianga,, Merbmere. Fraser Road, and Otakeuc Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake,

For many weeks past the progress of the United States aviators and the British aviator (Squadron-Leader MacLaren) in their long aerial journeys have been followed with interest. The British aviator decided to take the eastern route; the Americans the western. MacLaren has been dogged with bad luck from the beginning, and after his experiences against the elements in France, the Mediterranean, India, Burma and Japan it is very unfortunate that he has been forced to abandon the attempt after covering the greater part of the journey. The Americans have met with kinder treatment, and their three machines reached the Shetlands before serious

■ess ijoieil Hit-in. One niaclmu. t, n title .-'j was wi cured, out the utlicr lwg ate nearing tneir goal, ir is nopeu mar tiiey will meet, with no iurtliei tioubie, arm uiat W ashington will bt readied surely. me pioneers in the an undertake risks equally as great at men- loiexathers who sought out the sea routes in tneir small slaps, and m '-ueli ertorts aviators realise that they have to tac-e many serious dangers, rioneers, however, are men ol stout heaits, and they do- not permit the Knowledge ol dangers to ueter them Horn making their attempts at conquest. - it is not many years since a night of a few miles was regarded as a • wonderful feat, and ' though great improvements have been effected in building the machines, the world fliers have yet to be perfected. Aeroplanes have flown across the Atlantic, and from England to Australia, while recently the American Continent wa-s crossed almost entirely in daylight. These are great achievements, but they are all pioneering efforts, and it may be some years before similar flights are made frequently. They have, however, proved that the day wii Icome when aeroplanes will be able to fly to practically every part of the world. Although MacLaren and Wade have had to abandon their attempts, their experiences may enable scientists and engineers to make important improvements in the construction of aeroplanes intended for long distance flights. Both expeditions have, no doubt, gained knowledge that will prove of much value to aviators in the future, and it will be interesting to read the accounts of their experiences during the months they have been engaged on their hazardous journeys. As commercial propositions, long distance transport services by air may not prove attractive for many years to come, but for defensive purposes aerial machines are likely to play an increasingly important part. Lieut.Commander C. Deifnis-Bnrney, in a recent article, gave the following interesting views on the subject: We are faced to-day with a difficult evolutionary period, during which aerial machines, owing to their development, will be enabled to perform more and more of those duties which we are accustomed to see performed by the Navy; consequently, the more that aerial machines develop the more will their functions partake of a naval character, and the more will the functions of an aerial vessel coinoide with and overlap those of a naval vessel. The effect, therefore, of more powerful aerial machines must be to limit the functions and responsibilities of the floating vessels, and unless an organisation is contrived that will allow of this gradual substitution upon a predetermined plan, and without internal friction, v it is certain that the efficiency and capacity of the fighting services must be correspondingly depreciated. It is seldom realised that the aerial machine and the naval vessel are both part of a common carrier ser-vice-each fleet of ships and squadron of aircraft is made up of selfcontained, self-propelled vessels which can attack an enemy, but cannot, without the assistance of an aimy, hold a position, the naval vessels being confined to the sea, while the aerial machines are able to go l over both land and sea In essence, however, they are identical. ■ mi as can seen at present, it vill be several decades before aeroplanes have that great radius of action necessary for operation over the great ocean routes, so we may sav tnat the tendency must be for the defence of the British Isles to become more and more aerial, but for the defence of the outer Empire to remain almost completely naval. The acceptance of this doctrine carries with it the necessity for a reorientatmn of our naval bases and dockyards We require more dockyards abroad and m the Dominions, and fewer at home But this reorganisation is not likely to take place so h>ng as the Admiralty and the Air Ministry remain in competition instead of co-operating. MacLaren’s failure and the disaster which overtook Wade strengthen Lieut.-Commander Burney’s view and show that flights of thousands of miles are accompanied by so much uncertainty that for war purposes they would not be entertained, though within limited distances aerial machines are- able to give invaluable service. No doubt in time the aeroplane will be brought to such a state of efficiency that long distance flights vill be as safely accomplished as the short ones, but that time is not yet thought pioneers in the air are gaining the knowledge and experience which will enable the necessary progress to be made.