AVIATION IN AFRICA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 9 March 1926, Page 8

AVIATION IN AFRICA.

DEY'ELOITNG NEW AIRWAYS

A GREAT IMPERIAL FLIGHT. FROM. CAIRO TO CAPETOWN. CAPETOWN, Jan. 22.‘ The eyes of the world of aviation are upon Africa this year. The Cape has been chosen as the destination of the first great Imperial flight by Air Force machines, foui- of which are due in Johannesburg on April 5 There is also the effort of Mr. Allen Gobham, who is flying from London to Capetown. In addition to these two great trips there was recently the highly successful Air Force expedition from Cairo to Khartoum, and across to Kano, in French West Africa. Then,

so far as the European end of the route is concerned, a second aerial survey, working for the Imperial Airways and for the Air Ministry, will shortly survey the Cairo-Karachi route, where it is proposed to operate with great three-engined air liners. In fact, Cairo is well on the way to becoming the greatest air port of the Old World. There will converge all the African services and all the routes from Asia and Australia. No part of Europe, Asia, or Africa will be more than a week’s journey from Cairo if the presently-contemplated network is completed. Plans concerning the Union itself are not yet completed, but it is known that negotiations for the provision of a compreheisive air service have been in train. During the new session of Parliament moTe details will become available. The Government’s attitude toward aviation generally is well indir cated by Colonel Cresswell’s statement that the Air Force will not be decreased,. and may actually receive a slightly increased vote. There is every indication that 192(3 will be a great year for aviation development in Africa, and if these plans mature there is not the slightest doubt that the various services will be of the greatest assistance to the progress of the Central and East African countries, as well as to the development of the Union. THE FIRST IMPERIAL FLIGHT The first Imperial air flight to South Africa is now being organised. From j various sources one gathers the following details of the proposed flight. It should be emphasised in the first place that the flight from Cairo to the Cape, which starts on March 1. is a purely service flight, what may be termed a practice flight in the. ordinary routine work of the R.A.F. I Special value will attach to it for several reasons, one being the experi-j ence to be gained in flying under tropical and variable climatic conditions, which become a test for every I machine, every engine, and every mem_ I her of the personnel. There will not be present in the flight any ol the I elements which go to make' up ‘’front” I business. While distinguished officers will be concerned in the experiment, it would not be correct to say that the personnel has been specially 7 select-1 ed. The personnel has been picked from among the ordinary duty officers. The flight wilL l>e in command of Wing-Commander Piilford, D. 5.0., D.S.C. ,He will be accompanied by live other officers and. two sergeants. Four machines will take part in the flight, and the machines vised will be the last word in aircraft used by the Royal Air Force. The. type of machine to he used is the Fairey 31), I built by the Fairey Aviation Company. The engine is the Napier-Lion, 4501 ii.p.. built by Messrs Napier, Limited, pioneers in the motor industry 7, which I firm is now devoting the whole of its attention to research and the production of high-class aero engines. The flight will leave Cairo approximately on March 1, and should reach Pie-1 toria about April 2, and Johannesburg]

about April 5. "While the first Imperial flight to South Africa, has a definite programme laid down, 'it Roes riot necessarily follow that this will be strictly adhered to. The officer commanding will have various duties to perform en route. The route chosen for the flight will be Cairo Khartoum. Mangalla. Kisumu. Abercon, N’Doljo. Broken Hill. Livingston, t Buluwayo, Palapye, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Beaumont West, and Capetown. On the return journey the i aviators will touch at Victoria West and Kimberley. The time spent in tlie various places visited . will be I largely a matter for the officer com-

manding. Colonel Sir Pierre van Ryneveld, director of the South African AitForce, and his colleagues and the

“power® that be” will do all they can to facilitate the smooth passage of this interesting flight. The flight will not be without practical use to the South African Air Force. It will, for wile thing, afford the members of the South African Air Force, whose records stand so high, an opportunity of. examining the entirely modern machines which will he used by the Imperial flight. It may be laid down roughly; that in the flight the aviators will do stretches of 400 mile® at a time. ;