AO-TEA-ROA'S ENGINE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 14 January 1928, Page 7

AO-TEA-ROA'S ENGINE

TESTING ADEQUATE IN CAPTATN BUCKLEY'S OPINION Tl, was suggested to an "Express" reporter that the Ao-tea-ron. had not been submitted to a sufficiently rigid and prolonged trial prior to the transTasman flight being undertaken. It was considered that if the motor of the 'plane was to be expected to run smoothly, and without a hitch for 14, 16 or 18 hours, it should have been submiTted to a searching test providing for a flight over land for a period corresponding to the time the trip to New Zealand was estimated to take. This proposition was referred to Capt. Buckley on his return from his first fruitless search in the Government aeroplane D.H. 9. His reply was that, in his opinion, judging from what he had learned, the Ao-tea-roaVengine had undergone tests which, coupled with the known reputation for reliability of the Wright Whirlwinds—a reputation established, or at any rate enhanced by Lindbergh's great flight—were sufficient to afford reasonable assurance that it would function faithfully throughout the journey. Bench tests of a rigid order were carried out in the factory in America before ever tho 'plane was shipped to Australia. After assembly in Melbourne severe tests were imposed on the 'plana and then followed the several hours' flight to Sydney. He also understood additional trial flights in Sydney preceded Tuesday morning s. fateful hop-off. Those test flights would provide ample opportunity for thoroughly learning the plane's capabilities, and further trials would not have contributed to the certainty of safety to any appreciable extent. As a matter of fact a continuous extended trial flight of 12 to 18 hours, say, would prohably necessitate the engine being taken down again and thoroughly overhauled. After re-assembly tests would still have to be undertaken., He thought three airmen whilst in Australia had done everything .popsible to satisfy themselves that the motor could be fairly and justly expected to perform up.; to reputation. Of course, that great day had not yet dawned when one could say that .any aeroplane' engine would continue without a stop for any given, number of hours. Aeroplane*motors were still liable to sudden inexplicable fits of the sulks.