THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1934 THE GREAT AIR RACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 12

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1934 THE GREAT AIR RACE

jTo the air race from England to Melbourne, arranged to start to-day, the attention of all civilised peoples will be given. It is the greatest international contest yet planned; not that it has official competitors nor that those taking part are a representative host gathered countries, but in itself it is a competitive venture, open to all qomers, on a scale hitherto unknown. Sooner or later, in the realm of flight, such an event was bound to take place. For years there have been individual efforts to achieve distinction in this new activity of travel. Personal ambition has prompted fresh endeavours. To outdo others has frankly been a motive in taking new routes, lengthening non-stop distances, remaining longer in the air, and cutting down the time occupied in traversing given point-to-point stretches. More and more thought has been devoted to this aspect of aviation, distinct from the attainment of mere bursts of speed. Associated with these ambitions has been a practical purpose in many instances, redeeming them from being the gambles with fate that certain earlier adventures undoubtedly were. To prove that flight has a commercial prospect has been, in these instances, a thoroughly worthy idea, and it must be said that they have contributed much to the growing hope that civil aviation will ere long create a network of communications over most of the surface of the globe. It must be acknowledged, too, that even the more reckless kind of effort, so often resulting in the death of the venturesome, did service in its way: it gave an example of courage—no mean contribution to human progress of any sort —and sometimes, by its very failure, pointed the way to success. There is a species of folly that is better than what is too easily accounted wisdom, and the brave are entitled to honour none the less if they go down in the fight. This is to be remembered as the new phase of aviation, more soberininded, is reached.

This new phase is represented by the Suffolk to Melbourne contest. It is, in reality, two contests, one of which—the handicap event—presents no extraordinary features beyond the usual risks of flight over difficult regions. They are serious enough to make-heavy demands on machines and pilots, and some profitable deductions should be their outcome. But in the major contest, that of traversing the whole distance in the shortest time, there is a maximum of risk, and therefore the greater interest Yet it should not be supposed that even this contest is being staged in recklessness. Since the days of the earliest transmarine flights of any length the Internationa,! Convention of Air Naviga-j tion has been framed, and under its regulations this great air race is being conducted. At every step strict precautions have been taken to en- | sure the air-worthiness of the | machines entered. Sir Kingsford Smith, it will be remembered, met with a delaying obstacle created by lack of the requisite certificate for his 'plane, and eventually, in large part because of this, had to withdraw. Another intending competitor, on the spot., has found it impossible to comply with the regulations in time to start. For a week or so before the fixed date some others have been compelled to have their aircraft adjusted to meet the prescribed conditions of safety. It can be taken for granted that no machine will set out from the Mildenhall aerodrome on this venture unless the authorities are satisfied about its reliability. And the regulations, it is to be noted, have been framed with regard to a standard suitable., for applica tion to an eventual regular commercial service over the route. Special attention has naturally been given to fashioning machines capable of standing the heavy strain of the speed contest, but their performances will indicate the normal possibili ties of travel under commercial conditions ere long. The relation of the race to the new phase of aviation, therefore, is fairly obvious. Its risks are considerable.

Mrs. Mollison has referred to the "death-traps" of the route to be taken by the larger, faster 'planes. Doubtless they exist, and public interest is heightened by the fact. But an effective answer to Mrs. Mollison 's comment is provided by her participation, and to this answer is to be added the minute attention to detail in preparation—along every stage of the route and by every competitor as well as by the responsible authorities. It has yet to be proved that the precautions are absolutely adequate; unfavourable weather conditions may upset the most expert of calculations, and the human factor may fail in some unexpected emergency. However, while the risks are real, the care taken to minimise them is just as real, and until the race is over the knowledge of this care is to be set against the fear of disaster. Above all, when the progress made in aviation during recent years is remembered, a reasonable hope can be cherished that this event may prove historic in demonstrating that rapid and regular air-communication can be established over distances hitherto deemed too great to be traversed with certainty. Air-travel is already established to an extent once thought impossible. Why should not this contest carry that development a further stage ? In a few days the question will have its answer.