The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1929. TAKING TO THE AIR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18202, 1 March 1929, Page 8

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1929. TAKING TO THE AIR.

Paying a woll-desurved tribute to the a Kill and courage of the Royal .ui I'urre, tile limisli Munster at Kabul applauded the .xntooUmeas and eriiciency with which the airmen earned out tire arduous undertaking. Supplementing thus statement mill \v mteiton (under Secretary tor Ail) staled in the House of Commons that the Royal Air Force have i>eitoimed a\ historic achievement. Since December h’drd they have con-, veyed 580 persons in 82 aeroplanes, without a single mishap to passengejs, over a mountainous country in the depth of winter, at an average height of 10,1)00 feet. Conditions have always been difficult, and duiing the last two days, almost insuperable, on account of tlxe heavy fall of snow.” The warm tribute is richly deserved. But Britons are taking' as kindly to the air as their fathers took to the sea and gave the Fin [lire its remarkable record of maritime progress. It is now frankly admitted that one of the surprise lessons of the air exercises over London last August, was (lie remarkable efficiency of the Auxiliary Air Force squadrons manned by civilian pilots and observers. Why it is possible for volunteer flying men to approach nearer to Regular standards than sparetime soldiers and sailors? Perhaps the principal reason is that training' can proceed individually without the presence of other members of a unit. This applies to air pilotage up to a point, and even more so to the technical subjects that are learned on the ground. Theoretical and practical instruction in aircraft and engines, in photography, navigation and armaments can be given individually in workshops and lecture rooms at times to suit the pupil. In the Auxiliary Air Force a, system has been developed whereby the onus of instructing himself is placed on the individual. The amateur airman can acquire a high deg-ree of specialised skill by his own elicits. A fortnight in camp is sufficient to weld a number of trained individuals into an efficient bombing squadron. The Air Force is better able than the older fighting- services to depend on civilian reserves. Further evidence that aviation is becoming increasingly popular comes from Australia in the cable messages this morning in which it is stated that seven hundred applications have been received for thirteen Air Force cadetships. But if civil aviation is making great strides, there is no marking time in the attacks Britain is making' on speed records in the air. It is interesting to note in this connection that British air interest will be represented only by monoplanes in the Schneider Trophy race in the first week of September. It will be remembered that, the supermarine saplane which was successful at Venice in 1927, and which holds the highest speed record, was of' this type. Experts are. of the opinion that the race this year will be won by any machine which can approach six miles a minute. Only one machine wilt be sent from. America, and in the event of its success the Schneider Cup will lie won outright, the United States having won twice during the previous four years. The race will be over the Solent, and this year, in order to lessen flying dangers, and to secure the highest possible speeds, there will be a quadrangular course. On tlie other hand there could he no better proof of the quality of British aircraft, than tlie recent R.A.F. Far East, flight.. The four Supermarine flying boats flew 27,000 miles, and were ill as good condition at the end as at the beginning of the tour. The machines were never under cover from tlie time they left England, and there was not a single forced landing due to engine trouble dui'ino- the whole flight. When the pilots crossed the Line, they hit on an original method of celebration by dropping a bottle containing flight visiting cards endorsed to Father Neptune.