NON-STOP RECORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20392, 22 October 1929, Page 11

NON-STOP RECORD.

NEW ATTEMPT SHORTLY. BRITAIN TO SOUTH AFRICA. (Received October 21, 5.45 p.m.) British Wireless. RUGBY, Oct. 20. Another 'British attempt to break the non-stop flight record is to bo undertaken next month in a Royal Air Force FaireyNapier monoplane. It is hoped to fly the machine 6000 miles from Britain to South Africa. Squadron-Leader Jones Williams and Flight-Lieutenant N. Jenkins, who flew non-stop in tho same monoplane to India in April, will again bo its pilots. Tho machine has been modified and will now carry nearly four tons of petrol. It is hoped that Capetown will be reached in 50 hours. Squadron-Leader Jones-Williams and Flight-Lieutenant Jenkins on their last attempt made a non-stop flight from Cranwell in Lincolnshire to Karachi, India, being in tho air 50 hours 48 minutes. They were, however, robbed of tho world's long distance record by head winds. The next flight will bo. from Cranwell to South Africa, as it is considered that tho weather conditions will bo moro suitable on that route at this time of tho year than on tho Indian route. AIBSHIP'S TRIALS. EXPERIMENTAL STAGE. POLICY OF SAFETY FIRST. British Wireless. RUGBY, Oct. ,20. Tho Secretary of State for Air, Lord Thomson, states that the present flights of the airship RlOl are experimental.. As to the suggestion that airships require, elaborate landing facilities, he says a suitable mooring mast and equipment could be put up anywhere for £60,000. Ocean liners could not be employed without expensive harbours all over the world. Lord Thomson had hoped to start at tho end of the year on a flight to India, but he finds spare engines for RlOl will not be ready in time for shipment to the overseas base. Tho Government airship policy was "safety first.'' As long as he was in chargo of tho department no pressure would bo placed on the technical staff to undertake any flight until they were ready and satisfied that all was in order. The technical report on yesterday's flight of RlOl was entirely satisfactory.