AVIATION IN AMERICA

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 994, 10 June 1930, Page 1

AVIATION IN AMERICA

PROGRESS IN PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION REPRESENTATIVE’S VISIT '‘lf Amy Johnson were an American, or had landed in America instead of Australia, the reception given her would have equalled that If Colonel Lindbergh, She would have had tho greatest Honours bestowed upon her and she would have been the idol of all just as Lindbergh is today and always will be.” This opinion was ventured by Mr. Ben Bernard, who arrived in Auckland by the Ulimaxoa this morning. fit is a representative of the Boeing Air craft Corporation, of America, and intends to make a short stay here for the purpose of studying the gener flying conditions, and to review the possibilities of establishing agencies and airlines between the main centres. • During my short stay in faydney I witnessed the arrival of Am> Jonnson She got a great reception and more than 75,000 people crowded round the boundaries of the airdrome « aitins for her to drive past, said Mr. per nard. “If she had been an American, landing in America, well its hard to say just how great the reception would have been. The country would have gone mad about her. Take Lindbergh. He is still the idol of tho land and always will be. I don't suppose there is a person in the States who has not read his book ‘We.' merely because it was written by a great national hero. ATLANTIC CROSSING Continuing, Mr. Bernard considered that Kingsford Smith’s chances ol crossing the Atlantic were exceptionally bright. He was wise to adopt the short route from Ireland, even though it may be considered more hazardous. The Southern Cross had moved itself well capable of withstanding the buffeting of strong gales and there was no doubt at all concerning the abinty of Smith as a pilot. He was a good organiser, and with the machine thoroughly overhauled and now as good as new, the odds were certainly in favour of the crossing being accomnlished.

“It is possible that one of our 18passenger machines will later be imported to Australia and perhaps New Zealand, but of course, just at present, while America has not joined the Aeronautical Convention, our machines are barred,” said Mr. Bernard. “And perhaps America will not join the convention because she is showing great progress in flying. We admit that England is superior in the building of the fast fighting: plane, but America leads the transport section by a long way.” One of the popular light planes in America cost £194. It was a single seater with a 35 h.p., engine and it had a top speed of 75 miles an hour and the amazingly low landing speed of 25 miles an hour. Its wing span was only 25 feet. To this type of machine was owing much of America’s success in flying. By it, people had become airminded and it was a very popular plane among college students and business men. COST OF QUALIFYING “It does not cost a fortune to obtain your licence,” said the speaker. “You can get the licence to go solo for about £lO. Of course, it is different in the case of transport or mail pilots. To obtain their tickets it is about 3 six months’ course and every Mt of it is under Government supervision.” According to Mr. Bernard the Boeing Corporation’s airport at Seattle was one of the finest in the world. It covered an area of four miles square and had concrete runways, while there was an hotel adjoining with accommodation for 300 people. There were 17 independent airlines running direct from Seattle and the corporation in the past two years, had flown six million miles without the loss of a single passenger. “Our airliners fly day and night and they are always in touch with the ground by means of wireless. They carry letters to any place in America for five cents. Then there is the refrigerator machine used for carrying fish, butter, etc., to the inland towns and I consider that this type of machine would bo a boon to Australia and, in fact, New Zealand. The long endurance tests in which machines stayed aloft for many days on end were becoming a bit of a farce in Ajnerica.; in fact a joke said Mr. Bernard. Refuelling in the air had been brought to such a perfection that machines could stay in the air for almost any length of time and these stunts had consequently lost much of the glamour. “1 feel that before long big transport planes will be built for an Eng-land-Australia service. As yet, the trip has always been accomplished by comparatively light machines.” said Mr. Bernard. ‘ And I feel confident that airplanes will be in the service and not dirigibles. The dirigible would not bo a success on account of the tremendous expense which would be entailed in the erection of airmasts and hangars '*