BY AIR AND WATER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18197, 18 March 1921, Page 6

BY AIR AND WATER

. VEHICLE OF THE FUTURE. PROGRESS OF AVIATION. , LONDON, February 14. A new sight was provided for London : 'when Sir Frederick Sykes, Controller-gen-eral of Civil Aviation, accompanied by Lady Sykes, arrived at Westminster in a hydro-glider—a large, box-like water craft, . resembling a punt, and propelled by an air screw. It has a speed of 60 mile.s an hour, a hdfse-pbwer of 200, seats six, and draws only Sin, of water at full speed. The French have produced seven types of “hydro-glis- ", sours, and are using them with great success on shallow or weed-filled rivers. Steam-driven aeroplanes and an airship service between Spain and North and South America, with auxiliary distributive services over Europe by smaller and much speedier airships and aeroplanes, are two forecasts in an interesting amplification given in a White Paper on the Air Conference held last year. Sir Frederick Sykes emphasises that the nation which is strongest in commercial air traffic will be the strongest in aerial warfare of the future. Nevertheless he states ' that the more useful aircraft become commercially, the more the civil and service types of machines will tend to diverge. H ‘. On the other hand, Sir Trevor Dawson, managing director of Vickers (Ltd.), believes that an airship could he readily converted i into a naval cruiser with the smallest alterations, and could take up active service in a few days after mobilisation orders. The aeronautical expert of The Times, discussing the means for establishing central aerodromes in cities, strongly advocates utilising flying boats _ or “amphibious” aeroplanes. Such machines would be of the greatest advantage, enabling -pilots to land at night on water, which would be easier to locate than a ground aerodrome. Guid-

Sng, lights would be easy to erect at Westminster, and would be of enormous advantage if Paris installed, a similar system. In a letter to The Times, Mr G. Holt Thomas stresses the need for the'development of commercial aviation. During the ■week ended last Sunday, he ’ says, there ■were 13 arrivals and departures of machines, not a single one being operated by a British. company. The last meeting of the International Air Traffic Association was held in Berlin. “Comment is superfluous,” he concludes. Sir Ross Smith, in an interview, said: “Our Australian flight proved that the modem aeroplanes can go anywhere, unhampered by the most'extreme heat or cold. Properly handled, it is capable of drawing the Empire closer together,_ and certainly has a great future as a carrier of merchandise/” Sir Rosa Smith regretted that civil aviation in England had not gone ahead more. He thought the present depression was temporary. The public did not fly because it regarded flying as a dangerous sport, and lacked confidence in it. “There is nothing to be afraid of,” said Sir Ross. “It is a proper means of locomotion and transport, like; motoring or sailing.” He considered that the “amphibious” aeroplane was undoubtedly the machine of the future, especially ,;I6r long-distance journeys.