AVIATION PLANS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18068, 20 April 1933, Page 2

AVIATION PLANS

COMMERCE AND SPORT INTERNATIONAL RACING LONDON, April 10. British air transport is about to enter the busiest season ever known, when it will be possible to book from Croydon to no fewer than 140 air stations throughout Europe, half of which are within a day’s flying of London. Exceptional opportunities are to be offered for.aerial pleasure trips during the summer- by Imperial Airways, which is taking a leaf from tlio book of the shipping companies, by arranging “cruises." Le Touquef, for example, will be brought within an hour and five minutes of Croydon, and tourists, by embarking on an airliner -after breakfast, will be able to dine the same eveningat Locarno or Lucerne. During “aerial week-ends" parties will be taken over the wonderful Hartz Mountains of Germany, and spend Sunday on the Rhino, or reach l ami return from -other Continental I beauty spots which could not be visited by any other means, in the time available. Another interesting ox* iporiment will bo a week’s flying tour, carefully planned to embrace most of the great cities of Europe. THE SPORTING SIDE

So much for the commercial side of aviation. From the point- of view of excitement and sport, the proposed international summer air meeting promises to be the chief attraction of the Season. Tfye plan is to organise races at 300 miles an hour, for prizes aggregating thousands of pounds, during August Bank Holiday week-end. It is stated that £SOOO has already been guaranteed, and that it can be' taken for granted that this sum will be doubled. The first speed flying contest on an international basis ever organised in Britain, it, will have the backing of the Royal Aero Club, and it is understood that some of the fastest American racing planes will compete, not only with the object of capturing the prizes, but also of restoring some of the prestige lost in recent times.

One of the most famous entrants will probably be Frank Hawks, an American pilot who set up an amazing series of short-distance records ,in Europe in 1931. It is hoped that ho will fly his new machine, which, according to reports from across the Atlantic, has attained a speed of 290 miles an hour. The air correspondent of the Daily '•Re raid states: “Tho races will take the form of contests over a 10-miles rectangular course, in three categories. There will be practically no restrictions regarding the machines, and engine-power may be increased by any means, supercharges and doped fuel included. Anything in the way of special streamlining to increase speed i< allowed. The present arrangements for the prizes which have been guaranteed are £IOOO for first in each event, £450 for second, £l5O for third, and £SO for fourth place."—Sydney Morning Herald.