AVIATION NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 22345, 9 June 1934, Page 15

AVIATION NOTES

(By

Contact.)

Southland Aero Club. Fixtures. Sunday, June 10—Cross country flying competitions. Saturday, June 16—Otago Aero Club’s seventh anniversary. Saturday, June 23—Monthly flying and bombing competitions. Club Notes. Unfortunately, on Monday, June 3, a thick fog enveloped the aerodrome until the late afternoon, thus causing a postponement of the King’s Birthday flying competitions. It has now been decided to hold this competition on Labour Day. The winners in the respective sections last year were: (Trainees) W. Hastings; (“A” Pilots) Dr. L. C. McNickle; (Endorsed “A” Pilots) A. N. Patterson. Tire Gore Club has several enthusiastic pupils, who are almost ready’ to emerge from the “trainee” class. D. Cross was the first, and to date the only member of this progressive club to gain his “A” license, but F. Wallis, J. Crombie, A. Williamson and S. Stevenson are following closely. During the month of May, club machines spent a total of 69 hours 50 minutes in the air, comprising 12 hours 40 minutes dual instruction, 36 hours 50 minutes in passenger flights and 20 hours 20 minutes solo flying by trainees and pilots. ZK-AAD, owned by Mr A. Mclntosh, again proved a source of interest to visitors to the aerodrome during week-ends with displays of loops, stall turns and spins, thus compiling a monthly’ total of 7J flying hours. The most noteworthy flight of the month was that made by Flight-Lieu-tenant Smith in ZK-ADB, accompanied by E. R. Curtis as observer, in a search for the deer stalkers lost in the Lilbume. After 4j hours in the air, the plane was successful in locating the missing boys in the dense Helmet country, and thereafter acted as a liaison between the various ground parties. Both flyers record their deep appreciation of the hospitality extended to them by’ Mr and Mrs Ormond Gardner. The value of an aeroplane in carrying out or assisting in searches of this nature cannot be over-emphasized. Again on Friday last a plane from the Hawera Aero Club was successful in locating a disabled fishing launch, which had become overdue in the South Taranaki Bight. By dropping food and giving the exact locality cl' the launch, the pilot saved the fishermen from continued hunger and exposure if nothing worse. Faith in Australia. Judging by information published in the Press and a cable received by’ the Southland Aero Club from Mr Charles Ulm, it seems quite probable that the Faith in Australia, carrying an air mail from Invercargill to Hobart, will use the Oreti Beach as the final taking off point. It is understood that the authority of the Postal Department has already been received and a cabled reply has been despatched by the local club, indicating its willingness to cooperate. The Australian Mail Contract. The de Havilland D.H. 86 air-liner, built to comply with the conditions of the Australian Government tender for the extension from Singapore to Port Darwin of the British air route from England, is the fastest four-engined civil transport aeroplane in the world. Official tests give it a maximum level speed of more than 170 m.p.h., cruising speed of 145 m.p.h. and a landing speed, when fully loaded, of 66 m.p.h. The crew of two are located in a compartment in the extreme nose of the fuselage and ten passengers can be accommodated in the saloon cabin, which is wide, well-illuminated and quiet. This machine has very high performance figures, being able to climb from rest in one minute to a height of 1200 feet, and may be flown to 3200 feet on any two of the four Gipsy Major engines with which this machine is powered. Government Assistance. With reference to the statement issued by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in relation to the Unemployment Board providing labour (or the establishment of a chain of landing grounds throughout the Dominion, it is interesting to note that in Australia a considerable amount of unemployment relief funds has been absorbed in improving the more important aerodromes. Among these are Mascot (Sydney), Essendon (Melbourne) and Archerfield (Brisbane), in addition to the aerodromes on the route to Darwin, while in anticipation of the Centenary air race, the landing ground at Darwin has been increased to give a runway of at least 1000 yards in the direction of the prevailing wind. Another sign that New Zealand is growing increasingly air-conscious is apparent in the very frequent use of aerial photography. A few weeks ago a gold dredging syndicate chartered a plane to make a photographic survey in Central Otago. Safety of Air Transport.

Many r examples can be quoted to prove the safety of air transport, but one of particular interest is that of Finland, because of its unsuitability for the maintenance of internal passenger and freight services, due to the fact that much of the country consists of forests and icy wastes. Despite these unfavourable conditions the Finnish Aero Company commemorated its tenth anniversary, with a total of 42,337 passengers, carried without a fatality. The advantages offered by this service can easily be gauged when it is considered that the journey from Helsingfors (Finland) to Reval (Estonia) by sea takes 41 hours, as against 30 minutes by air. From Helsingfors to Stockholm (Sweden) by sea and rail takes 24J hours, compared with 21 hours by plane. Mails and freight as well as passengers have played an important part in this development, until to-day the regularity to schedule of this particular service has reached 98 per cent.