NO EXPLANATION

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 18 January 1928, Page 7

NO EXPLANATION

AIRMEN’S TRAGIC FAILURE.

ILL-FATED TASMAN FLIGHT CAPTATN RIGHT INTERVIEWED (BY TELEGRAPB—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 17. Captain Right, the third member of the party which set out for Sydney to undertake the flight across the Tasman, returned to Wellington by the AHarama to-day. Interviewed, he gave a comprehensive statement of the arrangements made in Sydney. He can offer no explanation of the tragic failure of the attempt, but one point he- stressed was that- the carrying of a highly qualified navigating officer would not necessarily’ have added to the airmen’s chances. The machine was tested in America and on assembly in Australia.

“We tested it. on various flights for petrol consumption, speed, carrying capacity, etc.,’’ he said, “and certain adjustments were made, tuning and so on, but none of them were of a major character. The longest test flight was of five' hours with a load .just three hundred pounds lighter than the load they left Richmond with. The men were not medically examined in Australia, but they were examined before they left here, and they were absolutely fit.’’

Captain Right made it clear that it was understood that Lieutenant Moncrielf and Captain Hood were not to change'places to relieve each other during the flight. “'VVnen the machine was first ordered,” he added, ‘‘we asked for a dual control machine, but we considered that the capacity should be increased from IGOO miles'provided for to 1900, the error in capacity having arisen through nautical miles being taken instead of land miles. Immediately that. wa 9 discovered we cabled for extra tankage to give a range of 1900 miles. This was done, but the delay in fitting dual control would have meant a delay of over a month, which would have meant that delivery would not have been given in time for the most favourable season.” ONLY ONE PILOT. He explained that when this information was given they inquired and the makers said it would be possible for the pilots to change places, but on assembling the machine they discovered it was impossible in flight, as the machine would be without control. They found tnis on the flight to Sydney, and decided that Lieut. Aloncrieff would have to pilot the machine right across the Tasman. This meant that the second man w r ould only be a passenger, though he would be able to do the morse, and he and Captain Hood tossed for the position. Captain Eight’s statement goes on to show that the wireless set did not come up to expectations of what was ordered. It failed on the run to Sydney. Amalgamated Wireless undertook to" do their best with it, saying that it would be. necessary to fit a battery. This message rvas only received on Monday afternoon, but they immediately set to work to fit a battery and carried out ground tests, which showed that the set was working, but how successful in the air it would be was unknown. The petrol carried was sufficient for 17 hours’ flight. The three airmen were informed at what angle the sun would rise, and from that they could get an ax>proxima. tion of their " bearing. That would be the only bearing they would be able to take during the flight, which was to be made by dead reckoning. A magnetic course" was taken, giving the mean variation which had been fully gone into by various navigating officers on vessels, and, though the distance so set out was a. few' miles longer than by flying on a great, circle, the course need not be altered from start to finish, and there was less possibility of error. NO FLARES CARRIED. The four compasses were swung in Melbourne and tested on the flight to Sydney, on a day when conditions were very hazy and no points could be picked " up. They proved entirely accurate. No flares were carried, although a certain amount of cotton waste was carried, w'hich the pilot might have lit. and thrown out in extremity, but, owing to the excessive risk, the use of such was highly improbable. The exhausts came down in two pipes below ■ the fuselage and, when the engine was running at night or was suddenly opened, showed long bursts of fiame.

The valve of the wireless was situated >on the very top of the set and would undoubtedly give the appearance that the machine was lighted from the outside, though from how far he was unable to say. The maximum cruising speed, according to the specifications, was 1(27 miles per hour, but the speed advised was between Do and 100, or even up to 110. 'Lieutenant Moncricff had derided to run at between 16,000 and 16,500 revolutions, which would give between 100 and 110 miles in still air.

The day preceding the departure was such that they did not expect the flight would take place for 48 hours, and it was not till they returned from a harbour cruise at 6 p.m. that word wa s given that there was a possibility of leaving. They were informed do- 1 finitely of the weather at 9 o’clock and 1 it was then necessary to go to Richmon d, 40 miles away. They found that the wireless was ready and everything else. Bv 2.15 a.m. the machine was run and it- was ‘discovered there was too much lubricating oil in the tanks. This was soon rectified and the pilots were ready to go. TTnfortunatelv they were delayed by reporters insisting on last minute interviews at a time when every minute was of value. Everything was taken into account, and Lieutenant Mom-rich' decided to leave. _________ PRESS, STATICM ENTS DUN I ED. Captain Eight absolutely denies tbe cabled statement in the- “Sydney Morning Herald” that the navigating instruments were not in good condition. No pressure- was brought to bear on the airmen to delay their departure. The machine was perfectly airworthy. There was no question of any argument. They never rejected any -professional advice and there was absolute unanimity between themselves and the R.A.A.F. The “Herald” had been against the flight from its inception and had- done everything to cast -suspicion qu it. On -seeing an article in the 11 grain the day after the flight, making eertain allegations which the Herald .said that the R.A.A.F. had issued, they immediately got in touch with the commanding officer at Richmond, who informed Captain Right that no state - ment had been made by himself or ins

officers and that they wei£ satisfied that the machine was capable ol tlie nigii-t and was proved .n every way, altnougfi they all had some doubts as to the efficiency of tlie wireless. The navigation officer had himself assisted in the laying out of the course and saw that everything was accurate. POSSIBILITY OF WIND-DRIFT. EX-PILOT’S SUGGESTION. HASTINGS, Jan. 17. Thomas Tremewan, a motor engineer, of Hastings, who iiad seven ye and experience in the British Royal Air Force and has done a good deal of flying in Britain, Mesopotamia, India and Egypt, said, when interviewed, that it was with very great surprise that nothing in all the reports received regarding the. Tasman flight had been said about wind-drift. He had read the meteorological reports and carefully thought out the elfect of wind-drift on the day of the flight. He was strongly of opinion that it would take the airmen sou tli of Groymouth. According to all the reports; the wind would take them that way. When it is remembered tjiere was no really expert navigator on board it was easy to come to the conclusion that the airmen were unable, through lack ol experience, to allow for drift. It was possible, for the compass to- be pointing steadily in the required direction while all the time the machine may be sidedrifting hundreds of miles out of its course.

“I have myiself been as much as 40 miles out in a flight of 100 miles, due to wind-drift,” he sad. “Another consideration to be borne in mind is that New Zealand, even in dark and cloudy weather, can be flown over in an hour,” Mr. Tremewan gave the opinion that in the darkness the men had flown over the South Island. Asked if he could account for the fact that the Government telegraphist ceased to hear signals from the aeroplane alter 5.22 p.m., Mr. Tremewan averred that, knowing what he does of the type of engine employed, he would be more prepared to. believe that the wireless broke down (particularly as neither man was an expert operator), than that the engine gave out and came down west of New Zealand.

Moreover, said Air. Tremewan, the wireless operator at 5.22 p.m. did not give the location of the aeroplane, although lie gave the distance. He had perforce to gQ. by the strength of the signal. His report did nothing to confute the view that the airmen might even at that time have been far off their course.

“It is my view,” said Mr. Trcmewan. “that as avia togs of experience and skill the- men would not run their engine all out, but would do something like 90 miles an hour and that means, according to my calculations, that at 5.22 p.m., they would be nearer 400 than 200 miles away. I flunk if- quite possible that tbe aeroplane could have been observed inland. 1 would say that two primary mistakes- were made. Firstly, the machine should have left Sydney at 8 or 9 p.m., so as to leave daylight- bonus of flying at this end to make sure of the bearings and, secondly, a-n expert wireless operator should -have been carried. From experience f know that such an expert could have told them every hour exactly where they were.” HEARD AT ALTON.. fI3Y TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. | WELLINGTON, Jan. 17. The secretary of the P'. and T. Department has received advice through the chief postmaster, Wanganui, from the acting-postmaster at I'atca, that one Metcalfe, a resident of Alt-on, has reported that he heard what sounded to lie an aeroplane pass over his residence late on the night of Tuesday last. He was lying in bed. and says there appeared to -be a suction of air I'ioni the 10-in , as if an aeroplane wore Hying very low. He also heard the noise -o. a motor. The Eaten postmaster is endeavouring to obtain further particulars. The secretary received further advice that Frank Metcalfe heard what he. supposed was an aeroplane at midnight. It, appeared to bo fly.ng from south-west to north-east. He _li\es near the- main road, hut is certain it \v;us not a- car. The noise was so great that he thought the house was going to be struck. His eldest daughter also heard the noise of an engine, which lasted about half a minute. The nearest neighbour, 200 yards away, did not hear anything. The chief post-master at Grey mouth advises that a search of the beaches at Brtre J?av and Manitahi resulted nega--1 tively. There is no reply yet from Okurtu