POLAR FLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21579, 25 August 1933, Page 12

POLAR FLIGHT

ANTARCTIC VENTURE PLANS OF MR. ELLSWORTH t FAITH IN HIS AEROPLANE EQUIPMENT FOR EMERGENCY [nV TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] THE CHATEAU. Thursday The famous American explorer, Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth, left this evening for Auckland to make further preparations for his forthcoming expedition to the Antarctic, involving a flight by aeroplane across the polar continent from the Ross Sea to the Weddell Sea and back, a total distance of 2900 miles. Mr. Ellsworth had some interesting comment to make about his contemplated flight. "It may bo that I will be criticised for not taking two aeroplanes, with me," he said. "Amundsen and I used two aeroplanes on our unsuccessful attempt to reach tho North Pole in 1925, there being an idea in tho back of our minds that on descending &u pole we could fly ono machine back, fuelling it from the machine we would abandon. ]n practice it did not work out well. When wo were forced down to make, observations 120 miles from the pole, the crews of tho two machines found themselves three miles apart, and fuelling from ono machine to the other was practically out of the question. No Plans to Land

'"The most valuable) way to use two aeroplanes is to liolcl one in reserve at your base so that should the other meet with a mishap a rescue is possible by means of the other. Finance, however, has limited what wo can do, and another machine is at present out of the question. "I have no reason to expect it will be necessary to land anywhere, but if such an eventuality should occur our machine has certain very definite advantages—the fruits of my experience in the Arctic, and of Byrd in the Antarctic. Our machine is smaller than Byrd's, hut it has the merit of being able to land at slow speed, at anything from 45 to 50 miles an hour. Unless," lie added with a smile, "we should run into a nrevasse when landing I have no reason to anticipate any trouble in taking off again."

Questioned as to the chances of rescue ihould tho worst happen, Mr. Ellsworth Raid the aeroplane would carry emergency rations to last three months. A hand sledge, a tent and spades to build an ice cabin also would be carried. "I should not relish a long sledge journey, however," said the explorer. "It is impossible to sustain one's strength on the kihd of rations we shall be forced to take —pemmican, milk chocolate, oatmeal biscuit, powdered milk, malted milk tablets, raisins and nuts. I remember how our strength began to fail ?vhen we were trying to get the aeroplane out of tho ico in 1925. To exert just a little pressure while we were digging with our spades exhausted us. Wireless Equipment " Relief from the base would be out of tho question," he added. " It would necessitate the laying of depots by a large expedition, and tho 16 men who are going south in tho expedition's »hip will be incapable of such a tremendous task, occupying, in tho case of the Shackleton and Scott expeditions, Jnany ; months of arduous labour." In addition to tho wireless transmission set operated by tho motor, there would be % smaller set capable of bfcing operated by hand, which would give tho aeroplane's position if forced down, but in such an eventuality there would be little hope of rescue. .

Mr. Ellsworth said he did . not anticipate experiencing the conditions obtaining on his Arctic aeroplane flight. On that occasion they found their fuel half exhausted and ran into a heavy wind that drovo them out of their course. Tho instruments to be carried on tho coming expedition would ensure that on meeting similar conditions exact observations would be possible.