AVIATION NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 60

AVIATION NOTES.

A model ground for aviation purposes has secured at Huntingdon, England, and it cannot fail to give a decided fillip to aeroplane work in the Mother Country. It is stated that a large extent of perfectly level, unbroken ground; unmarred by building, tree, or telegraph post, has been leased, and that the necessary 'Equipment of sang&rs and repair shops will be erected without delay. The location <s eaid to comprise the largest single field in Great Britain, and to be not merely very suitable .for its intendec" purnose, but decidedly better than some of the famous flying-grounds of the Continent. Aviation has always found a firm supporter in Germany, and considerable progress has been mad« in the erection of stands, sheds, and whatnot on the flying field at Johannestal, near Berlin. Both ibe War Office and the Prussian Treasury have : assisted those at the back of the concern with monetary grants, while the ground itself, which comprises some 800 Prussian acres-and belongs to the* Treasury, has been leased to the company for a period of 20 years on exceptionally favourable . terms. Thirteen sheds have materialised, and, what is more, all a»e occupied, v For instance, the German Wright Aeroplane Company owns sheds and repairing shops there."; A feature of the field will be an airship hall, together with the necessary plant for generating hydrogen. Naturally, the War Office is not assisting out of pu?« benevolence -towards the company and the aviatio sport. As "quid" for their "quo," the military authorities get a capital practice ground for army aeroplanes. The cesults at the Cairo aviation meeting show that the bi" prizes were won very easily.* Here are the prinoipa.l awards:—Prix du Ba.ron Emnain (for the longest sinerLe flight)—First. £2OOO, Me'trot ifVoisin), BS£ kilometres. The other prizes -were won by Rougier, Le Blon, Balsan, "Reimsdvke, and Grade. Prix d'Heliopolis (for altitude)—£2ooo. Rougier (Voisin), 840 ft. Grand Prix d'Egypte (for total distance flown during meeting)—First, £IOOO, Kougier (Voisin), 220 kilometres. The second and third prizes were won by Le Blon amd Balsan reflectively. On the sixth day of the meeting Le Blon flew ten kilometres in Bmin 7 4-sssc. Numerous •ascents were made on the last day, including one" by Madame de Laroche and one by Balsan, who broke the ten kilometres record by flying that distance in Brnin 3sec.