CAPTAIN RIGHT'S RETURN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 17 January 1928, Page 5

CAPTAIN RIGHT'S RETURN

NO EXPLANATION OF AIRMEN'S FAILURE ARRANGEMENTS FOR FLIGHT DETAILED WELLINGTON, This Day Captain Kiglit, the third member -' the party which set out for Sydney to undertake the flight across the Tasman, returned to Wellington by the Marama

to-day. Interviewed, ho gave a com-, prehensive statement of Ilia- arrangements mado in Sydney, lie can offer no explanation of the tragic failure of the attempt. One point he stressed was that the carrying of a highly qualified navigating officer would not necessarily have added to tho airmen's chances. "The machine was tested in America," he said, "and on assembly in Australia we. tested'it on various flights for petrol consumption, speed, .carrying capacity, etc. Certain adjustments wero madetuning and so on; but none of them whs of .a major character. The longest test, flight wns of five hours with a load just 300 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,. They were absolutely fit.'' Captain Kight made it quite clear that it was understood that Moncrieff and Hood were not to change places i.e., relieve each other during the flights "When the machine was !first ordered we asked for dual control, but- we considered that the capacity should be increased 'for ■■' 1600 miles provided for, to 1900, an ~ error in the capacity having arisen through nautical miles being taken instead of land miles, i Immediately <that was 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 mean* that delivery would not have been given in time for the most favourable season."' He explained when '■ this information was given, that ihe,y inquired and tho makers said it would be possible for the pilots, to.change places, but oh assembling the machine they discovered that it was impossible in a. flight, as the machine wbuld.be without control. They found this on:-the.'flight* to Sydney and decided that Moncrieff would have to pilot the machine fight across' the Tasman. .' This meant that.the second man would only be a' passenger, though he would be ableto do.the morse, and he and Hood tossed for tho position. ■" , .'.,

WIRELESS SET NOT UP TO ,' .',', EXPECTATIQNS Kight's/ statement. goes, to show that the wireless set did riot come'.up to expectations of what was.ordered. .It fafled on the rUri to; Sydney. Amalgariiated <Wireless undertook ■ to, do their best'.with it, saying- that it would be" necessary to fit a .battery., This message, was, tlie only 9W received an,' Monday afternoon, "but they immediately set to work to fit a '-battery'; and carried out ground -.-tests) which: showed the set was working, s but how' successfully in the' air was Unknown. The petrol' carried was sufficient for. 17 hours' flat out...'""'

FLIGHT BY DEAD RECKONING The airmen yfeve informed at what angle the sun would rise and from that: they ; could - get an :-. ,f approximation of ■ their bearing. :,That' would be the only bearing they would be able.- to: take during the flight, whichr was to be made by I dead reckoning. The magnetic course was; taken, giving the me£n: vari-ation,K-which had- been fully gone into by: .various navigating officers; on vessels, and though the "distance so set was a-few miles longer.thari by flying on the great circle,the course need not be" altered from start to finish, and there was Mess possibility, of error.., . : • ;

SYDNEY STATEMENTS DENIED

Captain' Kight absolutely denies .the cabled-statement iti the.,"Sydney Morning Herald", that the navigating instruments were not in; good condition.: No pressure was brought to .bear on the aiimen to delay their* departure. machine was perfectly au-worthy,' There wasmo question of any argument. They riever rejected any professional, abvice 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 eyerything;t6'cast suspicion on it.; ' ;'"'•'* /'DENIAL .BY-2YA'".;'■ "- i:- "■-■ ■ WELLIN'GTON, Tliis Day ';,;- Tho manager of 2YA absolutely denies, a Dunedin report that ,2YA . announced on Saturday afternoon "that the missing airmen had" been found., THE NEXT ATTEMPT ;

Just before his departure.from: Blen-, heimV Captain Buckley, in a chat with an "Express" reporter, expressed the' deep'regret he felt that*, the search operations had failed . to reveal some traces of i the ill-fated monoplane. He was'afraid- that the failure of the flight might give aviation in the Dominion a. severe setback,' a blow .{hat it could not very well stand. However, be was confident' that Serial transport in-some form had a' future in New Zealand, and* progress should -be shown before very long;. , ' ; , , , iV One wav in which the ill-effects Iho Tasman flight failure'could be minimised was for a-successful flight to ( be made.- Preparations should be commenced as early, as possible to enable thorough and complete'arrangements being made for art attempt next year on a big scale, with a powerful amphibian machine equipped with-'-tlie latest wireless apparatus for both" sending;and receiving. ,•■ Such a scheme would no doubt secure the complete backing of the.. New Zealand; and Commonwealth' Governments, and carried out with the co-oper-ation of the navies.of both countries, it would be practically certain of success/ The country; \in a sense, owed,such, an attempt to'the- memory of. two gallant airmen whom ill-fortune had robbed' of the achievement of an undertaking which liad for so long been their fondest dream. ,

CAPTAIN MOODY'S PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association^ • ■ ■; ■ BRISBANE, 16th Jan. " Captain Moody, who proposes to fly the Tasman Sea, was formerly- senior pilot of the Queensland air service. He will interview the authorities with a view to making, satisfactory arrange-; ments, and thinks he will use a seaplane, thereby complying with the Australian Air Force regulations regarding flying, land machines over water.