AVIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3662, 20 May 1924, Page 20

AVIATION.

STRANDED PORTUGUESE AIRMEN. LISBON, May 10. The new aeroplane which is being despatched to the stranded Portuguese airmen is fitted with a radiator specially designed for long-distance flights in the tropics. AROUND AUSTRALIA. May 13. Strong head winds compelled tloble and Maclntyre to return to Albany. . MELBOURNE, May 18. The airmen Goble and MTntyre have arrived at Port Lincoln, 187 miles west of Adelaide, and are expected at Melbourne ©n Monday. MAJOR MARTIN SAFE. SAN FRANCISCO, May 11. A message from Cordova says that Major Martin's aeroplanes were completely trrecked through striking a mountain 199 miles west of Chignik. Two of the aviators were lost for seven days, and were finally found by trappers in a cabin on the southernmost point of Port Moller Bay during the morning of May 7. The country is still under snow. A GLIDING RECORD. BERLIN, Mav Vi. Tlie aviator Scholtz established at Koenigsberg a gliding record of 522 min Bsec. D’OISY’S FLIGHT. PARIS, May 12. Blight-lieutenant D'Oisy has arrived at Baig on (French Indo-China) on his way to Japan. DELHI, May 13. D’Oisy reached his destination in IndoOhina, the total flying time from Paris Being 70 hours.

LONDON, May la. A message from Hanoi, Tonking, states that D Oisy has arrived there PARIS. May 16. The Minister of War has decided to promote Lieutenant D’Oisy to the rank of captain. He has also recommended his mechanic, Sergeant-Major Besin, for decoration as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour MA CL AREN’S FLIGHT EASTWARD. DELHI, May 13. The British airman MacLaren has arrived at Masirabad. IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS. LONDON, May 14. The Daily Mail describes the new giant aero engines, novel wing devices, and developments in metal construction, permitting machines to be designed of a s’ze hitherto impossible, turning new pages in air history. File newest wonders include bomber's with' multi-engined power plants, p actically eliminating the risks of forced landings, and able to fly at such a tremendous speed that aerial defence is becoming daily more difficult. Another variety is a single-seater fighter, equipped with huge engines, enabling it to -ise up almost vertically, attaining vast leights with a rapidity formerly considered impossible. A new armaments race has begun between the nations to develop immensely long-range planes capable of striking blows at distant bases. Experiments are proceeding in refuelling planes when in flight from Winged “ tankers,” with a view to increasing their radius of action. THE BURNEY SCHEME. LONDON, May 14. Mr Ramsay MacDonald informed the House of Commons that the Government bad rejected the Burney airship scheme,

as it would create a monopoly and contained objectionable financial and technical features. The Government, however, intended to carry out a const met i rial programme, and would authorise forthwith lighter than air research by the Air Ministry. The contract would include a clause permitting the constructors to repurchase the ship from the Air Ministry at a reduced figure on the completion of satisfactory trials, provided it be operated in connection with the approved British commercial airship service, and be available for use by the State. Tim existing airship stations at Cardington and Bulham would remain the property of the State instead of passing into private bands, while the ownership of the new base overseas would also be vested in the State. A three years’ programme only would be authorised in the first instance. The estimated expenditure for the three years would not exceed . £1,200,000. A supplementary estimate in this connection would shortly be submitted. Tn the House of Commons Mr Ramsay MacDonald announced that the Government bad rejected the Airship Guarantee Company’s scheme for Imperial airships, commonly known as the Burney scheme' because it would create a virtual monopoly, and contained features objectionable on financial and technical grounds. The Government, nevertheless, expressed the opinion that it was essential to carry out as soon as possible a constructive programme of airship development. It- was proposed to authorise the Air Ministry to initiate forthwith a comprehensive programme of lighter-than-air reasearch experiment, including a full scale of experiments with the existing airships. They would undertake the construction of a new airship with a capacity of 5,000,000 cubic feet, also the construction of terminal and intermediate bases overseas, to enable these two ships safely to operate between England and India. Simultaneously the Air Ministry will give the Airship Guarantee Company the first offer

of a contract for the second ship for commercial purposes. Mr MacDonald, in reply to a question, refused to state where the overseas base for airships would be situated, as it was not in the public interest t-o do so. COMMANDER BURNEY INTERVIEWED. LONDON, May 16. Lieutenant-commander Burney, R.N., M.P., interviewed, said: 'I cannot say how scon tlie first airship will arrive in Australia and New Zealand. Everything depends upon the Air Ministry’s energy in overcoming the initial difficulties incident to designing and testing the ships. If my scheme had been accepted we would have made the first voyage to Australia within two years, using the monitors constructed during the war as mobile bases, located at Singapore and on the Australian coast. “My Airship Guarantee Company, backed by Vickers, Ltd., owns the Howden airship station, and could undertake any developments in Australia, Aew Zealand, and other dominions if granted a subsidy. We would need for a service to Australia £300,000 annually until the Anglo-Australian service became commercially successful. “If the dominions decide to inaugurate airship services to Great Britain there is no reason why we should not start negotiations now and begin building when the Air Ministry and ourselves have completed the trial tests between England and India. IMPERIAL AIRSHIP SCHEME. LONDON, May 16. Mr Alfred Ashbolt (Agent-General for Tasmania and a native of Christchurch, New Zealand) stated in the course of an interview that the Government deserves great credit for making such a decision in regard to airships. “Since I first outlined an Imperial airship scheme in 1921,” he said, “wo have been endeavouring to get successive Governments to commit themselves definitely on the question. Tlie present Cabinet’s decision will enable practical tests at last to be carried out. 1 have no doubt that the tests will be successful. When the experimental period is ended it will be found that a number of companies will be commencing operations. connecting up not only the various parts of the Empire, but other countries as well. This decision is the forerunner of the biggest improvement in speeding up Empire communications yet determined. ' AN 800-MILE JUMP. VANCOUVER, May 17. Messages from Paramashiru Island, in the Kurile Group, state that three American army aeroplanes arrived there yesterday, thus completing an 800-mile jump from Chicagoff, in Attau Island. They will shortly proceed to the mainland of Japan. Crews from American and Japanese destroyers cheered the airmen as they landed. Meantime the Government and civic bodies are planning an official reception for the flyers when they arrive at Tokio. FATAL ACCIDENT. DELHI, May 16. A fatal flying accident occurred at Quetta on Friday. The pilot, a flying officer i amed E. C. Usher Somers, and a passenger, Lieutenant Mackenzie, were killed. The cause of the accident is unknown. An inquiry has been ordered.