AVIATION

Southland Times, Issue 20201, 11 June 1927, Page 7

AVIATION

IMPORTANCE TO EMPIRE BRITAIN LAGGING BEHIND WORLD VALUE EXPERIENCED IN AUSTRALIA (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Rec. 8.45 p.m.) London, June 9. tJngatuer-General Groves is taking over the t'ecretary-Generalship of the Air League of Empire. Interviewed by the Daily Telegraph, he said: “I must insist on the importance of aviation to the Empire from commercial, political and administrative as well as defence points of view. Our civil aviation was much behind hand compared with France, Germany and the United States. As an Empire we are failing to take advantages of aviation. There is too much talk of the necessity of making immediate profits from aviation. This test did not apply j in the early days of railways and other communications, and should not be applied to aviation which is most important from the viewpoint of opening up the unexi plored areas of the Empire. Australia had i already found that air communications ' powerfully stimulate settlement. Air lines prevent settlers from feeling cut off from civilisation. —A. and N.Z. LONG-DISTANCE RECORD. FRESH BRITISH ATTEMPT DECIDED. KARACHI ROUTE TO BE FOLLOWED. Rugby, June 9. The Air Ministry’s decision that a further British attempt is to be made to capture the world's long-distance flight record was taken a few hours ai'er the return to Lon- ; don of Flight Lieutenants Carr and Gillman, . whose plucky effort to reach Karachi, three weeks ago, ended in a forced descent in the | shark-infested waters of the Persian Gulf. 1 They had flown 3,425 miles before their descent was caused by a technical defect, thus beating the previous long-distance rei cord of 3,343 miles established by the Frenchmen, Coste and Rignet. Meanwhile Captain Lindbergh had exceeded the English men’s distance by 185 miles, and Chamberlain’s flight has raised the record to approxiI mately 3,900. The fresh British effort will be made on the same route as that previously followed towards Karachi, which is 4,100 miles from Britain. The interest of British aviation i circles is now centred in the prospect of the record being achieved by service pilots who will attempt this month a non-stop aeroplane flight to Karachi. It is revealed in the Press to-day that it was only the sheerest bad luck which prevented Lieutenants Carr and Gillman from succeeding in their attempt. It is understood authoritatively that the cause of their forced descent in the Persian Gulf was nothing more than a block in the petrol pipe of the machine. It is stated that Lieut. Carr will again act as pilot, while the navigation will be entrusted to Flight-Lieut. Harrison, who is at present on the staff of the Air Ministry. The chances of success are regarded by the experts as very bright.—A. and N.Z. PROBABLE CAUSE OF FAILURE. AIR-LOCK IN PETROL PIPE. (Rec. 8.5 p.m.) London, June 9. In view of the fact that seven petrol tanks cause an air-lock in the course of | switching over the last tank, it is considered i most likely that it was the cause of compelI ling Garr and Gillman to descend. Under such circumstances pilots are helpless. Experiments carried out with a duplicate m •Thine seem to strengthen this possibility. Should the weather be good, a start will be made on the new attempt to create a nor-stop record from Cranwell aerodrome. Already the new* machine has been taken up with a load of six tons. Mechanical alterations render failure from the same cause impossible.—A. and N.Z. ROUND THE WORLD NON-STOP FLIGHT. CHAMBERLAIN ASSERTS POSSIBILITY’. (Rec. 9. p.m.) Berlin, June 9. A round the world non-stop 30,000 miles flight is not impossible, declared Chamberlain. I hope some one will offer me £250,000 to play with so that I can construct a suitable plane.—A. and N.Z. TRANS-ATLANTIC COMMERCIAL SERVICE. COMMENCEMENT WITHIN YEAR PROPOSED. London, June 9. According to a British United Press message from Berlin, Levine states that he is planning to invest £400,000 in a transAtlantic commercial air service. He hopes to commence within a year.—A. and N.Z.

DE PINEDO’S FLIGHT. New York, June 9. A message from Horta (Azores) states that repairs to De Pinedo’s ’plane have been completed. It is announced the flight will be resumed to-morrow. —A. and N.Z. OFFER TO FLY TASMAN. (Rec. 11.5 p.m.) Melbourne, June 10. Charles Pratt, who with his brother established a factory for manufacturing aircraft at Geelong, has announced his willingness to fly to New Zealand if a suitable aeroplane is supplied. He is prepared to go to England at his own expense and take delivery of a machine if financial backing for the flight is found.