WILKINS’ FLIGHT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17008, 15 April 1926, Page 11

WILKINS’ FLIGHT.

WHAT TITS PLANS ARE. LATEST FROM THE BASE, (Elec. Tel. Copyright.—United Press Assn.) (Reuter's Telegram.) (Received April 16, 2.30 p.m.). VANCOUVER, April 14. A message from Fairbanks, Alaska, states that, suffering from a,wrist slightly sprained and an arm badly bruised, Capt. Wilkins said to-day : “I will not take to the air again until my right hand is healed.” This .member was injured on, Saturday, when I lie leader caught it in the running •gear under the machine Alaskan, while guiding it pn a lagoon, on which it alighted at Harrow. Oh returning to Fairbanks, Capt. Wilkins piloted the craft- with lus left hand. The,-Alaskan left 400 gallons of gasoline at Point- Barrow, where other supplies are stored. The plao is for Eiclseiqand Wilkins to ily out over the Arctic with one ’plane, leaving the other in command of La.ripHier, in reserve, to .return to Fairbanks the week after, and hop off if no word is received from the explorers. COMMUNICATING WITH AUCKLAND. (Sydney Sun Cables.) (Received April 15, l! p.m.) VANCOUVER, April It. Captain .Wilkins is greatly pleased. In communicating with Auckland he used a thirty-five meter wave-length. FLYING EQUIPMENT. DIVERGENT VIEWS ON AEROPLANES. SEWARD (Alaska), Feb. 22. “Amundsen has said that the aeroplane is not. yet ready to make a transarctio flight,” Captain Wilkins declared. “MacMillan lias been quoted as saying that the dog is still king of the high latitudes. Their belief is based; 1 assume, on their experiences ns pioneer aeroplane explorers , in tlie Arctic. .“But their trail-blazing ventures were based on plans which differ from oiti* plans in at least- three important points. We will he much bettor off in the way of flying equipment; Secondly; we expect lo have bet let* weather than they had., Finally, our insurance against disaster will lie the Stefansson method of ice living and travelling. “Reliable reports show that Amundsen's Hornier-W.ils had a. flying range of between 12C0 and 1500 miles. It varied with the load, and lus two ’planes Were heavily loaded with supplies and equipment when lie and Ellsworth took off from Spitsbergen. “The ’planes which MacMillan and Byrd used had a flying range of from 700 to 1000 miles. They, too. were heavily loaded whenever they were flown northward from the base at Etah. RANGE- OF ONE ’PLANE CLOSE TO 2eCO MILES. ‘•Our three-engined Fo'kkcr is fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks so that- it- will fly 2500 hides without refueling. Our Single-engined Fokker will fly close to 3200 miles without refueling. “We are filling space with fuel tanks which would necessarily be used for supplies and equipment- if wo relied on the methods of ice travel advocated by. Amundsen and MacMillan. We can do this safely because we will hunt our way out in case we wreck our ’planes on the sea ice, “Amundsen loaded his ’planes with sufficient supplies and equipment for a sledge dash back to land his load, cut down his ’plane’s flying range. McMillan, trained by Peary, attempted to establish a series of advanced supply bases. The supply load cut down his non-stop flying range. The bulk of our load will be gasoline.

“Moreover, the, MacMillan method of establishing advanced bases called for many landings. We will not need to.make many landings after we leave our base at Point Barrow. Unless we sight land and return to explore it-, our only landing will be a forced landing made necessary by engine trouble, ’plane trouble, or bead winds. MAY ESCAPE FOGS. “Ordinarily March and April are not bad i'og month's in the Arctic, and the early spring fogs cover only small expanses. Amundsen, flying* in May, encountered widespread fogs, which made,it impossible for him to navigate accurately. He was carried miles off bis course/ “MacMillan made bis flights in August. Ho hoped to find sheltered open water on which to land his ’planes. His plans were upset- in part because be found ice and much rough water. As I have pointed out, we Shall not need to look for many landing places- and, in any event, wo shall riot seek a- water Janflijig,” The Detroit- Avcti'e expedition’s proposed flight has been compared to the transatlantic, hop made by Alepck and Brown. But in, case Captain Wilkins is required to make a. forced landing* he will not Lie lost in an open sea as Alcoek and Brown would have been lost had they landed in mid-ocean.

He will be on the frozen polar sea, and to him apd Stefarissbn the polar sea is a friendly place. lie and Stefansson have proved that it will sustain the life of a hardy mail who can hit- a living target with a rifle. .