EMPIRE AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20522, 25 September 1928, Page 10

EMPIRE AVIATION

NOTABLE DEVELOPMENTS. SIR JOHN SALMOND’S TOUR. GIANT AIRSHIP MAY VISIT DOMINION. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, September 24. The probability of a visit being paid to New Zealand by a giant British Army airship during the course of a projected round-the-world cruise was mentioned by Air-marshal Sir John Salmond, Com-mander-in-Chief of Air Defences of Great Britain, on his arrival at Auckland by the Aorangi to-day. “We hope to send one of these airships on a trial trip to Australia in about two years’ time,” he said, “ and there is no reason why it should not include New Zealand in its itinerary. The Tasman would offer no obstacle at all for an airship.” Special facilities for mooring a lighter than air vessel, such as the provision of mooring masts, would have to be attended to, Sir .John Salmond added, and if New Zealand wished to have a visit from the airship he would be willing to discuss the necessary arrangements with the Government and the New Zealand Air Force. Certain details concerning the suitability of landing grounds in the Dominion had already been prepared by the special mission sent out last year to investigate the Empire air route. The airships of which Sir John Salraoud spoke will be of the type represented by the RlOl and RIOO, which are now in. course of construction in England. These gigantic vessels measure 730 feet in length, and carry a crew of 50 and 100 passengers. They are propelled by five 650 h.p. Diesel engines, which use oil instead of petrol—a revolutionary departure from established airship practice. Each airship will carry 0000 gallons of fuel, enough to carry her 4000 miles in calm weather without being refuelled. The two vessels now being built are expected to be ready for their trials early next year, and will eventually be used on a trip to India, via Egypt. To demonstrate that airships can be run on commercial lines to most distant parts of the Empire flights are also contemplated to South Africa, Canada, and Australia. Sir John Salmond was met at Auckland by Major-general R. Young, officer commanding the New Zealand Forces; Major T. M. Wilkes, director of Air Services; and Major L. M. Isitt, officer commanding the Hobsonville air base. With the exception of Major Isitt, the party, together with SquadronLeader R. M. Drummond, D. 5.0., and Flight-Lieutenant A. P. Ledger, who are accompanying the Air-Marshal, left for Wellington this evening, where a programme will be mapped out to cover the month the visitors are spending in this country. Matters of importance concerning Empire aerial defence will be discussed in Wellington with the Government. Keen interest has been taken by Sir John Salmond in the doings of Squadron-Leader Kingsford-Smith and his companions of the Pacific and Tasman flights, which, he said, demonstrated clearly what modern machines would do when manned by crews who left nothing to chance. “ When I heard that Squadron-Leader Kingsford-Smith was going to New Zealand I was quite convinced he would get there,” he said, “ because I knew he possessed the one attribute which determines success in air flying—that is, efficiency. He undertakes his tasks from a strictly scientific point of view.” Flying in Australia was forging ahead by leaps and bounds, Sir John Salmond said. The country was one of the best he had ever seen from the point of view of the airman owing to its vast distances, which gave flying tremendous scope and great visibility. The link between Perth and Adelaide was just being forged commercially with threeengined machines that were undertaking night .flying. This would be of immense value in saving time with mails. “The air is booming very strongly in Australia, and 1 was pleased to find that flying clubs, which are fundamental to successful aviation, are flourishing and increasing in number,” he said.