FLIGHT ACROSS TASMAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20289, 23 December 1927, Page 9

FLIGHT ACROSS TASMAN.

REVIVAL OF THE PROJECT. ATTEMPT TO BE MADE NEXT YEAR. (Special xo Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, December 22. An aeroplane flight from Australia to New Zealand will probably he attempted in the coming autumn bv Captain E. W. Percival, of Sydney. Luring the past fortnight he has been experimenting with a new type of machine which he has imported direct from England, and according to advice received from him by friends in Wellington it is likely that the fight will be made in this machine if it comes up to expectations. The machine imported by Captain Percival is known as an Avro “ Avian,” and was built at the Avro works under the supervision of the British Air Ministry. It complies with the latest specifications respecting air-worthiness, reliability, and ease of handling. These features have been made apparent, judging by the success of Captain Percival’s recent trial flights at Mascot aerodrome, just out of Sydney. All sorts of air “ stunts ” were carried out by Cap&iin Percival in order to test how the machine answered its controls in varying positions and styles of" flight—in loops, spins, rolls, and other positions. The machine was wonderfully sensitive to the pilot’s wishes, and answered the controls promptly and effectively. The normal cruising speed of the machine is 90 miles an hour, but the engine can develop up to 105 miles an hour without being pushed unduly.* It is one of the Armstrong-Siddeley types that have .wonderful records to their credit, including the various long-distance flights by Sir Alan Cobham and Colonel Lindbergh. The type used in the Avro “ Avan ” is the Genet, a five-cylinder Radial engine developing 76 horse-power at 1850 revolutions a minute. The petrol consumption is comparatively low, so that the machine, in addition to carrying a pilot, a passenger, and 501 b of luggage, can carry sufficient fuel and oil for nine hours at the rate of 90 miles an hour, thus giving a safe cruising range of over 800 miles. Extra fuel consumption, however, can be provided for. One feature of the Avro “ Avian ” is that the wings can be folded, so that the machine, can be housed in a space Bft 6in high by 9ft 6in wide. When the wings are being folded there is a simultaneous contraction of the under-carriage, so that the weight that has to be lifted to house the machine can easily be handled by one man.