COMING GREAT AIRWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20071, 8 October 1928, Page 12

COMING GREAT AIRWAY.

ADELAIDE TO PERTH. INAUGURATION NEXT YEAR. PLANS FOR LIGHTING ROUTE. [from oi-r own connespondent.] SYDNEY, Sept. 27. The establishment early next year of Australia's greatest, airway, from Perth to Adelaide, will be watched with great interest, especially as it promises to speed up the English mails, delays in which have been causing many complaints liv business people. When necessary along this route night flying is contemplated, and with this in view tenders have just been let for the lighting of the 538 miles which separates the two cities. The contract, which has been let. to a Perth firm, is for £12.470 and the work is lo be. completed bv March 14, 1929. Several features will be embodied in the insinuations fo minimise the risk of the complete failure of the lighting system. Tho portion of the routo to bo illuminated extends from ICalgoorlie to Cook, on the transcontinental line. There will be nine 1.000-walt revolving beacons at different points along the lino and each will bo mounted on a 20ft. steel tower. Halfway up tlio towers there will be a floodlight to flood the direction letters "E" and "W." The letters will be, 10ft. wido and 20ft. long and will be set out Hat along the ground and painted while, so as to make them readily visible from the air. These letters will be placed from 15 to 20ft. on either side of the base c>f the beacon tower. As thcro will be no local source of electricity supply, special plant will have to bo installed to generate the power. Tbo longest interval between the beacons will bo 86 miles—from Deacon lo Cook. The average distance between the beacons will be 52 miles. There will be two night landing grounds—one at Kalgoorlio .and the oilier at Forrest, 400 miles awav. The lighting arrangements for both grounds will be most elaborate. In addition to the beacon, (hero will be 20 ground floodlights of a special type to illuminate the landing-ground. The wholo of the buildings at the landing-places will bo illuminated with floodlights on tho outside. A feature of the ground floodlights, each of which will be of 1000 watts, is that they will project the light in a horizontal fan-shaped beam and at the same time limit the vertical divergence to prevent the glare from dazzling tho pilot when he is about to alight. The ground and tho external lighting of the buildings will be arranged on two separate circuits so that in the event of the failure of one circuit tho ground will not bo plunged into darkness. For tho beacons this precaution is unnecessary, as each will be fitted with two lamps, and if one fails a special mechanical device will light up. the spare one and push it into proper focus. Tho buildings at Forrest, which will be the main stopping place, will include a hostel.