AIR RACE PLANS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20365, 24 July 1934, Page 12

AIR RACE PLANS.

60 Hours to Darwin, Official Estimate. DIFFICULT LAST LAP. ' (Special to the “Star.”) MELBOURNE, July 14. Tho Centenary Air Race Committee now estimates that, assuming that th« start is made at dawn on October 20, the leading machines will land at Darwin on the evening of October 22, and will push off across Central Australia in the darkness. A progress report of the ground organisation for the Koepang to Melbourne section of the air race route, which was issued recently by WingCommander Cole, lays particular stress on the urgent need for lighting the Australian aerodromes for night flying. The route from Koepang to Melbourne has recently been surveyed from the air. In addition to the patrol which will be provided by the Dujch Government, consisting of destroyers and aircraft, the Australian Naval Board ordered H.M.A.s. Moresby to be in the Timor Sea at the time of the air race. The garrison in the fort at Darwin will illuminate the Fanny Bay aerodrome witli a powerful searchlight.

_ The section between Darwin, Charleville and Narromine is estimated by Sir Charles Kingsford, Sir Alan Cobhara, Mr. C. W. A. Scott, and all others having expert knowledge oC the route, as being the most difficult part of the course. This is on account of the danger of the competitors losing their way in Central Australia. The need few guiding lights and the lighting of aerodromes is, therefore, all the more apparent. It is assumed that competitors in the handicap section will fly each stage in daylight hours only. Speed is not a consideration in the handicap, which is based on commercial utility. Health Inspection. The Commonwealth Government lias agreed already to waive all Customs regulations concerning foreign aircraft on condition that they leave Australia within three months after arrival. Health regulations will occasion the competing airmen no inconvenience in Australia because the director of health has indicated that, all that will be required is a certificate of imm unity against smallpox and a medical examination in Darwin, which will occupy about three minutes. It will be necessary during the race to have some better means of communication than the overland telegraph line from Darwin to Adelaide. Arrangements have been made with Amalgamated Wireless of Australia to use the stations at Darwin and Rockbank, li-Ak-ing up with a mobile wireless unit ‘if the Air Force, which will be sent to Cliarleville and manned by the Air Force Wireless Reserve. Since most of the race machines will be equipped with wireless, arrangements will be made for Amalgamated Wireless to provide pilots with a direction-finding wireless service.