TASMAN FLIGHT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17410, 7 November 1930, Page 7

TASMAN FLIGHT

WILL GARDEN SUCCEED? : CHRISTCHURCH COMMENT UNWARRANTED RISK (Special to the Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, this flay. Should Oscar Garden, the Christchurch airman, attempt to fly the Tasman, what arc his chances of success? That was the question put to qualified local airmen to-day, and in every case it was agreed that with a strong favorable wind and no engine trouble lie could possibly make it, though at considerable risk. Should he attempt the flight in a ligM seaplane it is thought that the risk would in no way be diminished, for were he to be forced down in the Tasman the waves would soon swamp his machine.

“There’s only one chance of a successful trip,” said Mr. J. C. Mercer, of the Canterbury Aero Club, “and that’s a strong westerly wind. His machine will stand the journey, 1 think, but its petrol capacity being limited he will need to keep dead on the course. Can he do that? Well, little is known of his navigating abilities, though his Australian flight shows that he can keep his head.

OFFICIAL SANCTION “No doubt his reported knowledge of machinery helped him on that flight. He would be able to tell if his engine were not running as it should be, and so come to land, but across the Tasman it would be a case of keeping on no matter what happened. Even if ho .used a light seaplane the floats would not be large enough to keep the machine above water long.” Questioned regarding the possibility of Harden being refused permission to leave Australia in his present machine, Mr.' Mercer said there had been an attempt to prohibit land planes being taken more than 200 miles out to sea, but he understood that such a restriction was not now in force. “1. do not think there will be any objection to his attempting the flight,” lie added. 1 ‘.but I consider that he would be well advised not to do so. After all people know that the trip can be done in a suitable plane—tho Southern Cross flight proved that —and even should he be successful 1 think people will still consider that he took an unnecessary risk. ’ ’

MUCH “BLIND FLYING” Another qualified pilot agreed that Garden had a chance of getting through successfully, though of course everything depended on the weather. It was not known whether Garden had sufficient knowledge of air navigation to ensure success. He would encounter much “blind flying” such ns he had not experienced on the Australian flight. This pilot did not think Garden would be able to secure a more suitable typo of machine for the Tasman trip than the one he used on the flight to Australia. Most air services insisted that pilots flying their machines should have at least 300 hours’ flying experience, and it was generally believed that Garden had not that. * Mr. N. H. Barlow pointed out that Gat'den’s machine hail a petrol capacity that limited his time in the air to about 16 hours. Provided the wind was favorable and tho machine was kept dead on the course the trip could be accomplished in that tiifio, though he himself thought that it was expecting too much of the machine. ‘‘lf he attempted .the flight in a larger machine with a navigator and wireless operator I think he would stand a better chance of getting through,” said Mr. Barlow. “The Australian authorities will probably allow him to leave, but .1 .think he would be well advised not to attempt the flight.”

Garden left Alice Springs early yesterday morning, and arrived, at Broken Hill, where he remained overnight. He should reach Sydney this afternoon.