GIANT AIRWAYS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 30 August 1927, Page 9

GIANT AIRWAYS

LINKING OF BRITISH EMPIRE DREAM SLOWLY BUT SURELY MATERIALISING. Auckland, Aug. So. (Special to “Tribune.”) Giant airways linking the British Empire—that is the dream of the British airways mission and others, and It is a dream which Is slowly but surely matei lalising.

To-dav members of the mission arrived by the Aorangi from Sydney. They are Group-Captain P. F. M. Fellowes, D.S.U., A.D.0., R.A.F., who is in charge, Eight-Lieutenant S. Nixon, 0.8. E., anu Mr. M. A. Giblett, M.Sc., superintendent of the the Royal airship meteorological division of the Aid Ministry. Since June 28 these experts have been in Australia and have visited Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Hobart and Laucestou. They came at the invitation of the Australian Government and have come bn to New Zealand in response to an invitation from the New Zealand Government. The three members will investigate and report on the best places for the erection of mooring towers and other business iii connection with the development of the British Empire airship scheme. The members of the mission expect to stay in New Zealand for 17 days and will then return to England, via Australia, India, Ceylon and Egypt.

They were met on the Aorangi by Major T. M. Wilkes, director of air services in New Zealand, and Captain J. L, Eindlay, who flew from Christchurch with a machine which is to be at the disposal of the members ol the mission when in Auckland.

Captain Fellowes explained that the mission had reported to the Australian Government and had suggest ed putting mooring towers in the east and west of the continent. The capital cost of the whole British Empire airway scheme would be £4,500,000, said Lieutenant Nixon. This would include ships, mooring masts, and incidental accessories. It was remarkably cheap compared with the outlay for big steamships. SAFETY OF FLYING. “The South African Government and the Canadian Government have both ordered mooring towers in preparation for the scheme. During the last five years,” said Captain Fellowes, “England has carried out extensive research regarding the safety of flying, with the result that much safer airships have been devised, and they are now constructed on an entirely new basis. Two ships are to be built in 1928 and it is expected that they will be quite safe for commercial flying.” The weather plays an important >art in airways, and Mr. Giblett, who ias come out to study conditions here, said that New Zealand is to be congratulated on the appointment of Dr. E, Eidson to the Meteorological Department. His is very highly thought of in the meteorological world and it is essential that there should be a meteorological bureau with every base. “For instance, a base should not be too near a large expanse of water,” said Mr. Giblett, “yet it must not be far away. Neither must it be too near the hills, as the land formations have a great deal to do with the winds; therefore the selection of the base is highly important from the meteorological point of view.”