AVIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3801, 18 January 1927, Page 32

AVIATION.

AERIAL RESEARCH.

LONDON, January 11.

“In an age of super-things the trend of aerial research indicates that we are approaching a new world of most “surprising developments, in which huge planes, aerial post offices, giant battle plans, and bombers will crowd the skies, each flying at its own level to avoid collisions. They will also carry searchlights of 100,000,000 candle-power, sweeping the firmament,” says the Standard. “The French, realising that the immense height at which planes' may fly in the future’ raises the important question of light, have developed the most powerful searchlight in the world, and have installed it at Mont Afrique, Dijon, at an altitude of 1900 ft. It is of 1,000,000,000 candle-power, and has eight optical lenses and prisms. It projects two rays, successively sweeping the horizon every ten seconds, and is visible 400 miles away. Both rays can be merged into one when they penetrate ninety miles. This searchlight is primarily intended to light aerial routes, but such a development is certain to drive hostile aeroplanes to an immense altitude, where for the purpose of resisting the low temperature and the rarefied atmosphere, pilots will wear electricallyheated suits. They will also be enclosed in the machines as eoriipletely as a crew is in a submarine.

Night bombers will have a speed of 200 miles an hour, and will be able to swoop on their prey at 300 miles an hour and climb 1000 ft in a second. Moreover, there will be ghostlike fleets, Owing to almost silent engines and invisible paint; but America is carrying out sound-rang-ing experiments and constructing apparatus so highly tuned as to detect the approach of aircraft flying at a height of over 30.000 ft.

Great developments arc expected in wirelessly-controlled planes, in which television will enable a view of the machines throughout, even when bombs are dropped, 500 miles from the base. Already aerial torpedoes travel three miles for every 3000 ft vf altitude. Therefore at a height of 20,000 ft they can be launched at a distance of twenty-one miles from the target.

BALLOON JUMPING.

LONDON, January 11.

A novel aerial sport called balloon jumping is expected shortly to be introduced in Britain. It is already popular in America (says the Evening News). A balloon filled with gas, fifteen feet in diameter, is attached to the shoulders of a man whose weight is regulated by ballast, until the balloon . supports the whole weight, except 4lb. Thus a man has only to lift 41b, resulting in the energy normally used in jumping 2ft high over 6ft, enabling a man to jump 40ft high over 100yds. A jumper, assisted by a high wind, would be able to progress across country in gigantic quarter-mite leaps. Raynham, an air pioneer, and Lender Wright are hopeful of organising balloon jumping cross-country races.

NON-STOP FLIGHT. PARIS, January 15.

The International Aeronautic Federation has officially registered the Jask achievement as the longest non-stop rectilinear flight. . ■ -

AERIAL NAVIGATION.

LONDON, January 12.

The International Commission of Aerial Navigation’s Regulations, introduced for 1927, provide that, owing to the increasing volume of air traffic, pilots of the larger passenger planes shall be of the duty of communicating telephonically with aerodromes. They also order that planes carrying ten or more passengers mudt /carry a wireless operator. The Imperial '. Airways is consequently training air mechanics as wireless operators.