MARVELS OF AVIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21144, 30 March 1932, Page 11

MARVELS OF AVIATION.

TRANSFORMING AFRICA. "DARK CONTINENT" NO LONGER. AERODROMES IN JUNGLE. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT-] CAPETOWN, Feb. 20. "Darkest Africa" no longer exists. '1 ho recently-inaugurated Imperial air mail, and the many local air services that have lteen operating for some time, have brought about a complete transformation. To day, in the very heart of the jungle, one can find aerodromes equipped with modern service stations, with expert mechanics available to attend to requirements. And for passengers there are wellfurnished rest houses and the comfort of clean sheets and linen at the aerodrome hotels. A passenger's impressions of the air journey between London and Capetown are given by Air. Roy 'luckett, tho English airman. Ho made a solo flight to the Cape five years ago and has just made a second flight in the wake of tho Imperial air liner. Carrying a movie camera with him, he secured some fine pictures of wild life from the air, elephants, lions and wildebeeste being photographed. Mr. Tuckett was most impressed, however, with the improvement which has been made over the 6000-mile route. "Compared with my forrtier trip," he said, "this last one has been an absolute luxury. This is due entirely to tho work undertaken by Imperial Airways, Ltd. If tho improvement is continued on the present lines, there is no doubt about the future of aviation in Africa. Improvements in Aerodromes. "One no longer has to take pot luck at aerodromes. These have been vastly improved and tho whole journey can be undertaken with comparative ease and a guarantee of comfort. The comfort obtainable at the rest stations is scarcely surpassed by any of tho best-equipped city hotels. There is also the assurance of meteorological information to prepare you for the next step. No more is there any adventuring into the unknown."

The cares of piloting and navigation, said Mr. Tuckett, had distracted his attention from an actual survey of the country on the 1929 trip. As a passenger, however, lie had a different viewpoint.

"Seated in armchair comfort," Mr. Tuckett added, "there was no need to look far for pictures. In fact, had I possessed sufficient film, I could have secured thousands of feet of scenes which displayed vast beauty and interest." Picture of Vast Elephant Herd.

While flying toward Juba Mr. Tuckett secured a picture of a herd of about 30Q elephants, the aeroplane almost skimming down to the backs of the animals. "My complaint," he said, "is that Africa is getting almost too civilised. Apparently aeroplane-proof, these elephants took as little notice of us as they did of the tick birds which were swarming over them."

Mr. Tuckett left tho Puss 'Moth at Brindisi and flew to Alexandria as a passenger in one of the Imperial Airways flying-boats. Tho comfort of tho (lyingboats struck him as being remarkable. "It- is in the African section of the 6000-mile journey where one appreciates most the improvements which have been made," lie added.

"Two years ago at the end of one of my stages I usually had to fly over a town or settlement to attract attention, land on a clearing and then scrounge for food. .At Dodoma, on that occasion, I had to take off from an aerodrome the, floor of which was pitted with antholes over which corrugated iron sheets had been placed. At tii:> present time, however, this is one of the best aerodromes on the route."