The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JULY 19, 1937 DEVELOPMENT OF AIR SERVICES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20783, 19 July 1937, Page 6

The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JULY 19, 1937 DEVELOPMENT OF AIR SERVICES.

Because of the success of the experimental flights across the Atlantic of (lie Imperial Airways “Caledonia” and the Pan-American Airways Clipper 111, attention will be directed to the potentialities of the flying boat for the air mail service between the Old World and the New. Interest will be aroused in the success of the experiments because of the importance of the Atlantic air service in relation to the air lines that are being drawn across the Pacific by British and American commercial flying interests. Generally speaking the experimental flights were conducted without incident, but it is interesting to note the observations of the plots of the flying boats who suggest that despite the highly satisfactory nature of both crossings, Ihc problem of the establishment of a transAtlantic service is far from solved. Due to variable weather conditions more than one route must be flown and surveyed. “We are not able,’ says the commander of Clipper 111 “to give a satisfactorily glowing picture of what flying the Atlantic is like. That will come later,” he added, “when the Atlantic represents a course instead of a mathematical problem.” It can be said, however, that both Britain and the United States are engaged in extensive preparations for etablishment of regular Anglo-American air services across the .Pacific. The former achievement of the “Caledonia,” in flying non-stop nearly 1700 miles from Alexandria to Marseilles in little more than eleven hours, demonstrated to the satisfaction of all concerned, the powers of the craft in striking fashion. In distance flown the journey was only 200 miles—between seventy and eighty minutes’ flying—less than the direct crossing of the Atlantic between Ireland and Newfoundland. True, the westward flight over the ocean may often involve flying against a head-wind averaging forty miles an hour, but on the other hand the “Caledonia” was loaded for the Alexandria-Marseilles trip below full capacity with fuel. It is revealed, however, that the maximum non-stop range of the “Caledonia” is no less than 3,800 miles in still air, -while against a steady 40 m.p.h. gale the craft can fly no less than 2,450 miles at an airspeed of 160 m.p.h. or 2,700 miles at an airspeed of 143 m.p.h. The fact, that the “Caledonia” maintained a speed of 175 miles an hour and made the Atlantic crossing in 12 hours 7 minutes, suggests a splendid achievement. Five of these notable boats, which set new world standards in comfort and performance of marine commercial aircraft, have now been completed. Three of them—“ Canopus,” “Centaurus” and “Castor”— were engaged in the Mediterranean. The “Caledonia” is already engaged on long-rang flights; and her sister craft “Cambria,” is likely to make another impressive long flight, when the second series of Atlantic experimental crossings are undertaken. The fifth craft is the “Cavalier,” destined for the New York-Bermuda run. Twentythree of the Empire boats jemain to be delivered to Imperial Airways. Most of them will have the latest word in aircraft engines. Yet another similar boat, modified for its peculiar duties, will be the “bearer ’plane” of the first composite aircraft, the British invention that seeks to combine large payload and long range in one and the same aeroplane by arranging for it to be launched in mid-air from the back of another and much bigger machine. Helped by a substantial sum provided by the Air Ministry, Imperial Airways has placed several orders for new composite aeroplanes that will make longdistance air mail experiments for which the craft is chiefly intended. It will be seen that apart altogether from the immense effort Great Britain is making in the building up of an Air Force that will challenge the greatest Powers, notable development is being carried on in placing Britain’s commercial air service on the airways of the world.