NIGHT FLYING

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

NIGHT FLYING

MANY DIFFICULTIES i LAND MARKS EASILY MISSED / FROM ALOFT The outstanding feature of the news describing the happenings in connection with the trans-Tasman 'flight is the apparent and deplorable lack of precautionary measures against a night landing, writes a R.A.F. pilot in the 'Auckland "Star." The impression of the general public seems to be that it would be impossible for anyone in the skies to overlook a city such as Wellington, with all its lights and its illuminatel harbour, especially flyers who knew every part of it. It is also wondered why a collection of motor cars numbering some hundreds, all with hend light dazzling, did not.attract the attention-of aviators. _, - Reflection, (however, may recall a much more glaring instance for surprise, and may indicate that after all the distinguishing from above of lights below is no easy matter.. A few months ago one'of the most noted aeronauts of the day, Commander Byrd, in a three-en-gined plane, crossed the Atlantic and made for Paris. This intrepid explorer'flyer was heard in the neighbourhood of the famous French airport being in touch by wireless. All the latest appliances aand signals known to aviation for night flying were resorted to, yet the aviators after "tootling round" were finally driven to make a forced landing on the coast many miles' away-. In the case of the attempt by the New Zealanders there appears to have been no pre-arrang-ed plan in the eventuality of a landing after dark at Trentham. If there was, it has certainly been kept'a close secret. So far as can be gathered frd-m news to hand, it was not until well on in the night that steps were taken to provide rockets or otherwise .attract the attention of the airmen (should they arrive) and'then some old and dud military "squibs" were unearthed. Searchlights or other flares recognised as for use on such occasions are not mentioned in any of the reports issued, Trentham Racecourse might easily be otherwise missed from aloft. It lies in a valley of some depth and little width, and from a height - of several hundreds of feet, wrapped as it was in the darkness before the moon's rise, it would be entirely indistinguishable if not strikingly illuminated. It is difficult to form any definite opinion as to the airmen's whereabouts or meanderings from the many reports' received of their having been seen, not heard. Their machine, equipped with 300 gallons of petrol and being capable of flying at anything between 105. and 130 miles an hour, is said to have been in. the vicinity of Stephen's Island at 9.50 p.m. That would mean that she had been "steaming" for nearly 17 hours for the journey of approximately 1200 miles, which would give an average of something between 70 and 80,miles an hour. Tliis is below the speed necessary for the machine to keep in the air. The aviators, of course, may have foresaken the course the crow would take, and mav have l,*sfc distance in their navigation or time in climbing. _ Lindbergh, when lie flew tho Atlantic in the sistership of the Ao-fea-roa, is stated to have got nine miles to the gallon from his engine. If the New Zealanders were as fortunate, with fheiu 300 gallons of petrol thny would have been able io cover a distance of 2700 miles, and at nn average speed of, say. 110 miles, would 'mve been capable of flying for 24 hours. Lindbergh had a, greater supply of petrol and flew for 33| hours. On this hypothesis the. 'nlane could not have been in flic air at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. TL lias been suggested that the Air Force officials have been negligent or dilatory in that no seaplanes were sent out to search for the aviators. While it is difficult, with the data at hand, to decide exactly where Moncricff and Hood may be, whether on land or sea, the New Zealand Government does not possess a s'eaplane. Land machines, of course, would be useful for coast patrol, and could make a flight of limited distance to sen, but so far as making a search for the missing 'plane is concerned, New Zealand is entirely unequipped with sea craft or 'planes of an amphibian fvpe

It is tragic to think that such a heroic enterprise was undertaken with Governmental responsibility standing grandly aloof and that 64 hours after the last signal is ltenrd frrmi the aviators, a. ship of the New Zealand Navy will be nt the spot from which the message was calculated to have been sent out. The tragedy of the situation is also accentuated by 'he arrangement" for aerial search. Had the responsible. State officials shown only a little practical syrn-

patliv or encouragement in the enterprise an aeroplane or two might have been sent to Wellington in anticipation ol success or near success. Generally od the occasion of epic air achievements, ah a compliment to the visitors, an escort of planes is sent to form a triumphal aerial bodyguard, but the two gallant New Zealanders were presumably not to be accorded this common courtesy.