AVIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 29

AVIATION.

BELGIAN MILITARY PLANES.

COURTESY VISIT TO BRITAIN.

RUGBY, September 22,

A squadron of five Belgian military aeroplanes is to-day paying a courtesy visit to Britain. General Gillieux ( Chipf of the Belgian Air Force) will accompany the squadron. Visits will be paid by air to several of the Air Force aerodromes, during which Belgian airmen will have practice in alighting pn unknown grounds. They will return to Belgium on Saturday.

PLANES FOR AUSTRALIA.

PASSENGERS AND FREIGHT.

LONDON, September 23.

The Vickers Company is shortly shipping to Western Australia three highwing, all-metal monoplanes adaptable for passenger and freight carriage over land pr sea. They are capable of being fitted with one, two, or three engines, and it is claimed that they can develop the highest maximum speeds. They combine a. rapid climb and a comparatively low landing speed, and they are among the finest and cheapest of commercial maphines. There is accommodation for 12 persons in the saloon. A new ventilating system allows fixed windows, practically eliminating noise. FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA. CAPTAIN MATTHEWS’S PROGRESS. RANGOON, September 25. Captain Matthews has arrived. He refuelled at Akyab en route. He encountered foul weather over the whole journey from Calcutta to Rangoon. The Puss Moth aeroplane in which Captain Matthews is flying is known at Stag Lane Aerodrome as the “ Flying Petrol Tank.” Captain Matthews has twice flown in the King’s Cup race. He has crashed only once in 10 years, when the propeller of his machine broke in the air. He has taught more than 300 people to fly, and he said recently: “ I sometimes think it less hazardous to fly to Australia than to teach some pupils. T pm attempting the present flight to show what can be done in speeding up ai l * communications to Australia and to demonstrate the feasibility of a weekly service.” Another object of the flight is to demonstrate that, with proper fly ing skill and aeronautical knowledge, flying to Australia can be undertaken with the same confidence as shorter trips. The plane is fitted with a special refuelling device and a sun blind for the tropics. It does not carry a parachute.

AHEAD OF HINKLER’S TIME.

RUGBY, September 26.

When Captain Matthews left Rangoon this morning to resume his flight to Australia he encountered violent weather over Moulmein, and had to return. He made a fresh start for Bangkok later, and is anxious to reach Singapore to-morrow—the twelfth day of his flight—thus maintaining his lead of a day over Hinkler.

MACHINE FORCED DOWN.

BANGKOK, September 28.

Captain Matthews was forced down at Banmee, 160 kilometers north of Donmuang. The propeller and one wing of the machine were broken and the tail was damaged. Captain Matthews has a spare propeller. The Minister of War has sent men from Donmuang to assist the aviator. It is hoped that repairs will be effected in a few days.

TOUR IN A SEAPLANE.

RETURN FROM SCANDINAVIA,

RUGBY, September 23. Colonel the Master of Sempill, who has been touring Scandinavia in a Puss Moth seaplane, yesterday made the 300mile crossing of the North Sea from Stavanger to the Scottish coast* encountering strong winds. At the beginning of his tour he made the journey from London to Stockholm, of over 1000 miles, in one day.

CRASH NEAR RHEIMS.

THREE OFFICERS KILLED.

PARIS, September 24.

A military plane, while engaged in bombing exercises, crashed near Rheims, and caught fire. The charred bodies of an adjutant and two sergeants were recovered from the debris.

Another sergeant who was thrown out of the falling plane used a parachute, landing safely.

CANADIAN MAIL SERVICE.

TEST WITH SEAPLANES.

OTTAWA, September 25. The new Canadian air mail service, by which European-bound mails will be flown approximately a third of their journey, was successfully tested to-day, when two seaplanes landed in the Straits of Belle Isle from Quebec City. The planes transferred half a ton of mail to the Empress of Australia, saving 48 hours.

KINGSFORD SMITH’S FLIGHT.

FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA.

LONDON, September 25.

Captain Barnard, at a luncheon in honour of Miss Winifred Spooner (winner of the King’s Cup), announced that he intended flying to Australia with Wingcommander Kingsford Smith on October 7. They hoped to lower the record.

TEST BY BIG SEAPLANE.

RUGBY, September 25.

Flights have been given by the biggest seaplane so far' constructed—namely, a Valetts monoplane, made by Short Bros, at Rochester. This craft is considered to mark a distinct advance on the Calcutta biplane type, which is also made by Short Bros. The Valetta has a wing span of 107 ft, three Bristol Jupiter engines of 4GO h.p., a maximum speed of about 140 miles an hour, comfortable , assenger accommodation for 17 persons, and : s easily convertible to a land machine. With a 10-ton load the seaplane yesterday, in a side wind, took off in 18 seconds. A FRENCH PROPOSAL. POSSIBILITIES OF SEADROMES. PARIS, September 26. The Air Minister, M. Laurenteynac, reveals that the 1931 Budget will provide for a preliminary investigation into the possibilities of anchoring seadromes in the Atlantic for the use of regular transatlantic aeroplanes.