HELICOPTER FLIGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18941, 12 February 1925, Page 9

HELICOPTER FLIGHTS.

BRITISH COMPETITION. J i SIXTEEN ENTRIES RECEIVED. ONLY ONE READY FOR TESTS. Ey Telegraph—Press Association- Copynsht. (Received 5.5 p.m.l A. and N.Z, LONDON. Feb. 10. Of the 16 entries for the Air Ministry s helicopter competition for prizes totalling £60,000, the only one who has undertaken to carry out tests at Farnborough in April is an American machine designed by a Bcriin invent-or. Brennan's helicopter h&s not yet left tho sheds at Farnborough. It was announced some months ago that prizes to the total value of £6O,W wo aid be awarded by the Air .Ministry for the successful completion of certain tiding tests applicable to helicopters or equivalent types of flying machines. I lie machines will be required to carry a pilot fuel for one hour's flight, and 1501b. of military load, and thus' loaded tho machine must make a flight from the ground to a height of 2000 ft., afterwards descending and landing without damage; two wind conditions are specified for this test, one in which the ground wind does not exceed 5 miles per hour and the other in which the ground wind exceeds 10 miles per hour but does not exceed 20 miles per hour. In another test, the machine will be required to rise from the ground and remain in the air at 2000 ft, for half an hour over a certain prescribed ground area, the ground wind being not less than 5 miles per hour and not exceeding 20 miles per hour; the subsequent landing must be made without damage. The conditions for a third test are similar, except that, in this case, the machine must fly over a prescribed closed circuit not less than 20 miles in length and at an air speed of 60 miles per hour or over, while in a fourth test the machine must be manoeuvred in the air into a position over a given point on the ground and must descend from a height of not less than 500 ft. with the engine off, alighting without damage within 100 ft. of the given point. A prize of £.5000 will be awarded in connection with the firstmentioned test and additional sums of £15,000, £20,000, and £IO,OOO, respectively, will be awarded in respect of the other three tests. The entries were not confined to British subjects. No part of the prizes above referred to will be awarded in respect of the Brennan helicopter now under construction for the Air Ministry.