AVIATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3911, 26 February 1929, Page 28

AVIATION

ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA. LONDON, February 19. Flying-officer Moir states that his route to Australia is as follows:—Rome, Malta, Benghazi, Cairo, Ramleh, Bagdad, Basra, Bushire, Bunder Abbas, Karachi, Agra, Calcutta, Akyab, Bangkok, Singora, Singapore, Batavia, Sourabaya, Bima, and Darwin. Oil and petrol supplies have been laid down at the places named, but landings will not necessarily be effected at each place. This route was chosen because the Vickers-Vellore plane, which is definitely the biggest machine which has ever flown to Australia, requires careful handling. Despite its size, its speed is not actually fast, the cruising range being 80 to 85 miles per hour, as it is built to lift and carry heavy loads. It was expected to be ready for tests at the week-end. BRITISH LINE TO INDIA. LONDON, February 19. The Daily Telegraph states that, although the British air line to India will operate on March 30, it will be impossible forthwith to carry passengers beyond Basra, though mails and freight will be carried the -whole route. The reason is the absence of wireless equipment, a meteorological service, rest houses, and ground organisation due to the long negotiations with Persia before the attainment of the recent agreement. The equipment was sent to-Persia in 1926, and was later withdrawn owing to Persia’s attitude. CAPTAIN COSTE FORCED DOWN. PARIS, February 19. Early disaster overtook the flight of Captain Coste to Hanoi, which was described as not a stunt, but a scientific expedition for the study of the establishment of a regular air mail from France to Indo-China. When over Bondy, six miles from Le Bourget, Captain Coste detected oil fuel trouble and was forced to descend. The machine was wrecked, but Captain Coste and his two companions were uninjured. SHELTERS FROM AERIAL ATTACK. LONDON, February 19. In the House of Commons, Sir V. L. Henderson (Under-secretary for Home Affairs) told a questioner that the First Commissioner of Works was directing a survey of the places in London suitable as shelters from aerial attack. No details of the result of the survey could be given. BRITISH MAILS BY AIR. RUGBY, February 19. The Postmaster-general (Sir William 1 Mitchell-Thomson) stated in the House of Commons that in 1928 106,000 letters originating in this country were carried by air mail, while 350,000 letters were sent abroad by ordinary mails and subsequently carried by air mail. LIEUTENANT EILSON. WASHINGTON, February 19. It is understood that Lieutenant Edson will receive the 1928 award of the Harmon Trophy from the International League of Aviators for his Arctic flight. TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT. BERLIN, February 20. Commander Fitzmaurice stated that he is planning a second east to west transatlantic crossing in June. He plans to leave Germany in an aeroplane, which would be refuelled when flying halfway towards England, and again while in flight over Newfoundland. AN ELECTRIC SENTRY. NEW YORK, February 19. Wheeling about high in the darkness over the port of Newark, a pilot, seeking the new municipal landing field, which was shrouded in darkness below him, turned the handle of the siren fixed in the cockpit beside him. The siren rose to a shrill shriek, audible on the ground above the noise of the motor, and then, although the switches were actuated by no human touch, the great floodlights of Newark airport flashed on, showing the wide runways and the limits of the field, making landing at night feasible. The howl of the siren was the order for lights, which was obeyed immediately by “ Mr Televox,” the electric sentry watchman. The siren’s note was amplified through a delicate apparatus to a point needed to turn on the lights. NEW BRITISH AIRSHIP. LONDON, February 20. The Governmnt airship RlOl, which is being built at Cardington, was yesterday privately visited. The complete framework was seen for the first time. The visitor interviewed said it was staggering in its immensity. The old R 33 would easily fit inside without touching anywhere. It was almost impossible to conjure up the improvements the RlOl represents over any other airship yet built. Every square inch marks an enormous advance, whether in the framework, fabric, the engines, or accommodation cabins. The public rooms are now completed to provide splendid comfort. The eabin» are rather smaller than those of the average liner, but are well equipped, while the smoke rooms and dining saloon are roomy and very comfortable. The passengers’ quarters come first, then the engines, then the bridge,

which is the lowest instead of the highest as on board a liner. An unusual feature is that the passengers enter the airship through the nose from the mooring mast, and walk along corridors each side within the fabric.

There have been many delays in launching due to modifications and changes, but the ship is now so near completion that she will take the air within three months, unless something most unforeseen happens.

RUGBY, February 21. Details of the new airships RWO and RlOl, now nearing completion, Were given in a lecture last night by Groupcaptain Fellows. Each will be 730 r eet long, and of 5,000,000 cubic feet capacity, with a speed of 62 knots, and a cruising speed of 53 knots over a range of 4000 miles. _

He stated, on the highest authority, that they were much stronger than any other ship which had hitherto taken the air. They had been deliberately built too strong, rather than too weak. Heavy oil engines, the first of their type ever produced, were installed to give additional safety, even at the expense of efficiency. RlOl would have five 600 h.p. engines.

AMERICAN COMMERCIAL ROUTE. RUGBY, February 20. It is understood that agreements have been reached whereby flying boats of British design will be used on new commercial air services which are to be established between the United States Atlantic seaboard and the Pacific Coast of South America. An ’ ifluential group of American financiers is promoting the scheme, and their technical repra sentatives, after a tour of five months devoted to the examination of flying boat types in many countries, have entered into an agreement with the Blackburn Aeroplane Company, of Leeds, which is among the pioneers of British aviation and is particularly noted for its all metal design of large flying boats. A United States company will be formed, known as the Blackburn Aircraft Corporation, and it will have the right under the agreement to use the British Blackburn designs of flying boats and light aeroplanes and seaplanes. It was in the Blackburn Iris flying boat that the Air Minister (Sir Samuel Hoare) last year made a Baltic cruise and the Parliamentary Secretary for Air (Sir Philip Sassoon) flew to India.

FORMIDABLE FIGHTING PLANE. LONDON, February 21. For the purpose of defending London at night time, the Royal Air Force has adopted the Bristol “ Bulldog,” reputed to be the world’s most formidable fighting plane. It is capable of attaining an altitude of 20,000 feet in 12 minutes, and of maintaining a speed of 172 miles per hour at that height. The pilots in these machines wear electrically-heated clothing and oxygen masks.

MR BERT HINKLER. LONDON, February 21. Mr Bert Hinkler has severed his connection with the Avro Company, and has accepted a chief test pilotship with the Bristol Company.

PLANES FOR AUSTRALIA. LONDON, February 21. The first of the 28 Westland-Wapiti aeroplanes destined to provide Australia with a fine up-to-date air fleet was christened by Lady Ryrie at the Westland Aircraft Works at Yeovil. The first six will be tried out, dismantled, and shipped to Australia within a fortnight, and the remainder, completing the fleet, in May or June.

The Westland Works are employing 1000 skilled men solely on aircraft, and their present output is four Wapitis weekly. The Australian machines are specially constructed of a composite of wood and duralamin, which means lowei initial cost and lower maintenance, as well as providing the intermediate step in the change over from wooden to all-metal, in which Australian workers are at present not schooled.

PROFITS OF PACIFIC FLIGHT. . SYDNEY, February 23. Hie litigation in which Mr' Keith Anderson as plaintiff, sued SquadronLeader Kingsford Smith and FlightLieutenant Charles Ulm, claiming a share of the Southern Cross Pacific flight last year, ended in the Equity Court to-day, plaintiff admitting that his voluntary departure from America to Australia before the flight dissolved the original partnership, and amounted to abandonment of his rights if he had any, in any title, prize, ° or profits arising from the successful accom* plishment of the flight. Defendants, on their part, admitted that Anderson’s departure and non-return to America was not the result of any lack of personal courage or dangers of the flight.

The suit was settled on these lines, no order concerning costs being made.