AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1929, Page 6

AVIATION

KINGSFORD SAIITH. CONFIDENCE IN SOUTHERN CROSS (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Oo pyr i ght). NEAV YORK, October 1. Squadron-Leader Ivingsfovd Smith conferred with AVriglit officials to-day, and he told them that the Southern Cross, with her three engines, have averaged about 32 gallons per hour on tiie trans-Pacific flight, and be estimated that lie can make tile EnglandUnited States flight on 1550 gallons, in 50 hours. He stated be could easily rise with such a load. He added that he intends to use a two and a-haltf mile runway at the Royal airfield at Cranwell to take off for New York. THE ROCKET PLANE. SIX-AIILE FLIGHT. BERLIN, September 30. Piloting a “Rocket” aeroplane of his own design, A r on Opel flew six miles at a height of two hundred and fifty feet at Frankport. He was undeterred by the failure of the machine on the first two attempts to rise, when the plane only bounced fifty yards. A r on Opel persevered and he finally /took the air. ' 1 > The noise was akin to heavy gunfire. Flames were spurting out as the machine went into the air in a series of curves. The rocket aeroplane is totally unlike the usual machine. It is a propel-lorless-monoplane, with the fuselage beneafh the wings. Behind the pilot’s seat is what appears to be a shortened motor, in which rockets are adjusted. The propulsive force is obtained by the rapid explosion of gases against tbe air, which drives the machine forward. When he landed, Opel was sitting in front' of the stub-nosed fuselage, and was obviously in a dazed condition. He was clad in an asbestos suit, which is necessary for protection against the red hot tubes in which the rockets are exploded. NON-STOP FLIERS. THE FRENGHAIEN SIGHTED. MOSCOW, September 30 The French airmen, Captain Costes ‘ and Bellenconte, were sighted oil Monday. They left Le Bourget on Friday in an attempt to heat the world’s nonstop air record, their objective being Harbin, using a modified Breguet machine, equipped with a 600 hoi se power Hispana-Suizn engine. On Sunday at Paris there was anxiety lor them, as their petrol supply, it was thought, would be then exhausted, and it was surmised that they came down in Siberia, and had no means of communication. They were sighted only once, in Germany previously. AIOSCOAY, September 30. Costes and Bellenconte when sighted on Alonday were flying over Novosibirsk in the direction of Irkutsk. COAIPARISON OF AIR AIETI7ODS. i UNDER-SECRETARY’S TOUlt. RUGBY, September 29. The Under-Secretarv for Air, Air Frederick Alontague, returned to Croydon Aerodrome yesterday, after a five days’ tour of Continental air ports, during which he lias visited fifteen aviation centres, and has flown in the machines of six different countries. The object of the tour was to study Continental methods and compare them with British methods. Air Montague stated that his experience had been most useful, hut he considered Imperial Airways second to none in comfort and efficiency. THE AIR FLIGHT. (Received this dnv at 9.25 a.m.) ADELAIDE, October 2. The flight of the seventeen planes competing in the air l’ace provided an exciting battle with elements between Melbourne and Adelaide. Hie judges owing to the non-arrival of a telegram showing the wind speed and direction on which the handicaps are based, are unable to state who now is actually loading. Baker’s Tvlemm monoplane failed to reach Adelaide owing to strong winds and had been eliminated. Major Oo Havillaud in a Alotii recorded the host time for actual living speed to Adelaide, and is' followed by Heath and Miller.