TEN DAYS TO LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20084, 23 October 1928, Page 12

TEN DAYS TO LONDON.

AIR TRIP FROM SYDNEY

START TO BE MADE NEXT WEEK

ENTERPRISE IN AUSTRALIA

It, is proposed to fly The Spirit of Australia monoplane from Richmond Aero drome, near Sydney, to the. Croydon Aerodrome, outside London, within ten days, and to make the return flight from Richmond to Croydon and hack within 28 davs. The start from Richmond is to lie made next Monday.

Mr. T. .15. Rofe, who purchased the ma chine, stated at a function in Sydney last week that, he invested in it some of the money he got from the City Council tor resumptions of his property in Sydney.

Sir .fames Murdoch, M.L.C., who is assisting in financing the venture, stated that he did so because he desired to have the system of communications between Australia and London improved, and he considered that the best means of doing so was by commercial aviation. lie cautioned the pilot, Flying-Oflicer Moir, of the Australian Flying Corps, not to uso any "mock heroics" in his endeavour to make a record (light to London, but to use carefulness and caution, as by those means ho would best servo the cause of civil aviation and of Australia.

Flying-Oflicer Moir stated that ho would show the "cannincss of the Scotchman" and uso all necessary precautions. He would make no promises before lie left, b'ut ho hoped to be able to talk about "something accomplished and something done" when ho came back. (Applause.) A Machine From America.

Captain Frank Hurley, who will accompany Flying Oilicer Moir on l ho trip, expressed regret that they had to go to America lor the machine for the llight, but (he fact was that there was no suitable British machine available. When he asked a British (inn for a machine, with an aerial capacity of 2000 miles, ho was laughed at. The best that could be of fered in Britain was a machine for £BOOO, and then the aerial capacity was only 000 miles. lie was hopeful that when the British manufacturers saw this machine in Fngland. and realised that what was wanted in Australia was a machine that, was capable of (lying from one side of the Continent to the other, they would begin to build aeroplanes and seaplanes to'" meet Australian icquiieuients. '1 he ■Spirit of Australia cost .Co7oo, and had a range of over 2000 miles. Mr. \V. A. ITolrnan, K.C., said the .sentimental advantages of quick communication between Sydney and London were incalculable. In" the* matter of migration, Canada got the very best from Britain, as the people knew that the distance was not more than eight or ten days, and they had a knowledge of persons who went to ( anada and did well, and returned home on a visit. In the case of Australia, they thought of relatives or acquaintances "going out as if on a journey of exploration to an unknown country. Continuing, Mr. ITolrnan said they knew of many people who left Britain for Australia, but of very few who returned. Australia was largely an unknown country to a great many Britons. That feeling would be obviated if Australians of the present generation were able to make quick and frequent visits to Britain. The Monoplane Described. The Spirit of Australia is a ltyan monoplane, built on tho same'model as the machine in which Colonel Lindbergh (lew across tho Atlantic. It is ol tho same design as the one in which Mon- ■ j-ieff amMlood endeavoured to fly from Richmond to New Zealand, but has a larger wing spread and greater pelrn capacity. Tho engine is a later model than that used in Colonel Lindberg'r, machine, and has greater power. It is graded at 220 h.p., and makes 1600 revolutions per minute. The petrol consumption is ten miles to tho gallon. Iho storage capacity lias been increased by means of an extra tank to 350 gallons, which will give an aerial range of 3500 miles. The route to be followed will, in the main, be that flown by Sir Alan Cobham and Mr. Bert Kinkier, but thero will bo fewer night stops than either of these aviators made. Iho aerial distance to be covered, it is. estimated, will be slightly under 12,000 miles, and it is anticipated that some days a distanco of 2000 miles may be covered. This, however, will only be in the case of "long hops," when the" weather is suitable, and certain "danger" /ones have to be obviated. Mr- Rofe has expressed the. hope that the joiirnev either way would be done in nine days, but Flying-Officer Moir stated ho did not think that humanly possible, as time would have to be allowed for him to eat and sleep. By doing 1200 miles per day, or about 12 (lying hours, it will be possible to do the journey from Richmond to Croydon inside ten days. Satisfactory Tests ol Machine, The ground organisation has been completed, "and oil and petrol supplies have been laid down at aerodromes approximately 500 miles apart for the whole stage of the journey. The ease with which oil and fuel may" be replenished will prevent unduly heavy loads being carried, unless on tlii; days when an abnormally long distance is to bo covered, and even then it will lie possible to land at intervals for supplies without undue waste of time. A wireless transmitting and receiving apparatus is being installed in the machine, and if is expected that the aviators will be in constant communication with either Australia or London radio stations during the entire journey. The ollicers of the Air Force at Richmond have, with the permission of the Minister of Defence, put the machine together, have tested it and found that it works entirely satisfactory in every detail 'lt will be like following a beaten track," said Flying-Officer Moir. Ho has .seen active service with the? No. 3 Kou.'idron of the A.F.C. in France, and has since been attached to the Citizens' Air Force at Itichniond. lie has been granted a month's leave of absence for the purpose of (lying to London and back.