AVIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3526, 11 October 1921, Page 18

AVIATION.

ROUND THE WORLD. LONDON, October 3. Six' Keith Smith, interviewed by the Daily News, said that he hoped that he and his brother would begin their proposed round-the-world flight in the summer of 1922. The plans and arrangements had not been completed, and the route and the type of machine had not been decided on. Besides the route via Siam, which they followed in their Australian flight, three others were possible: (1) Via Northern Japan, where the difficulty was the floating ice; (2) across the Pacific to Honolulu and San Francisco, which would involve thousands of miles living over the ocean : (3) via the South Sea Islands to South America, where there were bad landings. If the flight began in the East the sea route would probably be chosen. October 4. The Daily News .states that an aerial transport firm In Paris is contemplating a line from France to Australia via Cairo and Bombay. Recently a Vickers-Vimy aeroplane crashed at Ramsgate, falling 200 ft in a gusty wind. The machine immediately burst into flames, five persons being killed. R 33 DISASTER, LONDON, October 7. The Air Ministry’s Court of Inquiry into the R3B disaster renorts that she broke in two owing to a. fracture of the structure at the rear of the after engine cars while being subjected to control tests. After the fracture fire in the forward portion was mainly responsible for the loss of life. The fire probably originated from a spark from the electric leads, which were fractured. The fire spread owing to tho escaping petrol, and the ignition of hydrogen followed, causing a second explosion. Many new features were introduced in the design, but in some cases there was a lack of vital aero-dynamica.l information regarding the effect of the modifications upon the strength of the structure. The use of the extreme helm with a quick reversal during the tests brought a heavy force on the after portion of the hull owing to the swing of the stern. BRILLIANT WAR. RECORD. LONDON, September 24. A message from Estampes states that the famous aviation ace Rom;]net, who in the war brought down 18 German aeroplanes. including a Gotha which was bombing Paris, crashed and was killed while practising for the Aviation Cup contest. LIEUTENANT PARER’S FLIGHT. MELBOURNE, October 7. Lieutenant Parer has recommenced his flight around Australia after having some engine trouble on his way to Adelaide.