PROGRESS OF AVIATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 October 1924, Page 4

PROGRESS OF AVIATION.

RACE FOR THE KING’S CUP. ROUND BRITAIN AT 126 M.P.H. LONDON, Aug. 13. The air race for the King’s Cup yesterday Avas a very remarkable affair. Even - those Avho are content to take flying like every other neAv invention, as a matter of course, can hardly fail to- be impressed with the high efficiency of the aeroplane as demonstrated over a track of nearly 1000 miles round our coasts. Ten machines AA'ent up in Essex in the morning, and six ot them completed the long course and descended at Lee-on-Solent early in the afternoon. The other four Ayere stopped in midcourse by slight mishaps, Avhich may be set down to bad luck, and were in no sense due to mechanical Aveakness. The machines Avere not only trustworthy, but very fast. The Avinner, Mr A. J. Cobham, Avho had the longest handicap of those who finished, maintained an average speed of 106 miles an hour for. 8 hours 57 minutes. Captain Macmillan, Avho was second, had an average speed of 109 miles an hour. Mr Butler, the third in order of merit, flew at the rate of 112 miles an hour. Flight-Lieutenant Jones, the airman Avho actually completed the course first, maintained; an average speed of 126 miles an hour? These very high speeds over so great a distance show the immense capacity of the aeroplane to a degree of Avhich feAv eA’en .dreamed 10 years ago. It is to be observed further that the AA'inner piloted a. machine of a commercial type. Mr Cobham has specialised in long-distance flying for commercial and scientific purposes, and the Siddeley “Puma” which he -fIeAV yesterday Avas designed not so much for racing as for use in connection Avjfch the air lines. The success of the only seaplane entered-, Avith* which Captain Macmillan Avon second place, is also noteworthy. Many people still think of a seaplane as being someAvhat cumbrous and sloav ; yesterday’s results should undeceh'e them, for the Fairey seaplane,, w'i-th its very noAverful engine, Avas faster over the thousand miles than the Avinning aeroplane. While Aye must leave the experts to draw r their technical conclusions from the race, Ave cannot but admire the appai’ent ease w'ith AA'hich six out of the 10 competitors completed the longest course as yet assigned for a day’s aeroplane competition (says the Daily Telegraph). After all, it is only 18 years since Santos Dumont astonished the AA'orld by flying one furlong; it is only 16 years since the Wrights and Farman were justly proud of flying half a mile or so. Fourteen years a.go Paulhan AA'as thought to have done a wonderful thing Avhen he flew from London to Manchester within a day and . a The progress of aviation since then has been as astoundingly SAvift as -the modern flying machine itself. But when we look back on what has been done in so short a time, we are encouraged to look forward to still greater achievements in the future.