AVIATION RECORDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 105, 6 May 1933, Page 11

AVIATION RECORDS

BRITISH SUCCESSES COURAGE AND SKILL LONDON, March 21. In his speech on the Air Estimates, Sir Philip Sassoon (Under-Secretary for Air) referred to research work ana speed records. The successful flight u. 5341 miles from (Jrunwell to Walvis Bay, he said, was the result of careful and systematic preparation on the part of all concerned with the construction and preparation of the machine and engine, combined with skilful piloting and navigation on the part of the two pilots. The congratulations of the House ftould go out to all who had assisted in securing this success (Cheers).

Sir Philip said that as a result, Great Britain was now the holder of the three most important aviation records —speed, gained after the Schneider contest of 1931; height, gained by Flight Lieutenant Uwins, who last September reached a height of 43,976 ft. in a Vickers “Vespa” aeroplane with a Bristol “Pegasus” engine, and now that of distance. The fact that this country held those three key records was final proof of the excellence of British skill and craftsman ship, and must have a very beneficial effect upon the market for British aircraft abroad. He would pay also a tribute to the courage, enterprise, and skill of those private individuals, both men and women —their names were household words, and he need not recall them—who had accomplished during the year a remarkable series of solitary long-distance flights. In the course of gaining the distance (as eighteen months ago in gaining the speed) record, most valuable technical and scientific data had been acquired, which would be of great service to aviation generally. Foreign Airships The House would remember that last year it was decided in the interest ol economy to break up the ElOO and curtail airship work to a minimum. Meanwhile, a watching brief was being i held by a small stair at Cardington, who collated information regarding airship progress in other countries. As a result, primarily, no doubt of economic causes, there had ?>een a definite, slowing down of airship programmes both in America and in Germany; but both countries had offered every facility to our experts to follow what they were doing and to take part in the flights carried out by the Akron in the United {States and the Graf Zoppelit. in the case of Germany. Despite the inevitable effect of the financial depression, the past year had nevertheless been a period of definite progress in civil aviation. In 1932 Imperial Airways services connected more than 100 European cities by air with London, and just over 41,Sotpassengers were carried by the company’s aircraft in and out of Croydon, as compared with approximately 20,600 in 1931. A rise of over 100 per cent, in so difficult a year was surely a noteworthy achievement. (Hear, hear). On the Empire routes, for the six months ended September, 1932, the passenger traffic showed an increase over 1931 of more than 50 per cent. Mail loads also increased considerably during 1932, the Christmas mails surpassing all records.

During 1932 Imperial Airways aircraft flew nearly 6000 miles a day, and at almost every hour of the twenty four somewhere along their 12,00(1 miles of routes a machine was in the air carrying passengers, mails, and freight. Since its inception the company’s machines had now flown 10,000. 000 miles, and had carried over 200,000 passengers and more than 6000 tons of mails, parcels, and freight. From the aspect of reliability, the figure for flights cancelled had fallen from 23.25 per cent, in .1924 to K.b9 per cent, in .1932. (Hear. hear).