THE AIR RACE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 107, 8 May 1934, Page 5

THE AIR RACE

FITZMAURICE ENTERS NEW IDEA IN ENGINES LONDON, ApriT26 Colonel Fitzmaurice, the famous transatlantic airman, has entered *or the centenary air race. His machine is being provided by Mr Joseph McGrath, director of the Irish Hospitals Trust. Colonel Fitzmaurice will go to America shortly to see the final tests of an engine incorporating several of his own ideas. This engine employs the exhaust gases, and is specially adapted for flying in thin air above 20,000 ft. It is likely that Colonel Fitzmaurice will use an engine of this type in the race. A former Royal Air Force officer probably will be reserve pilot. SIR KEITH SMITH FLYING TOUR OF EUROPE STUDYING AIR SYSTEMS. LONDON, April 26. Sir Keith Smith, one of the earliest England-Australia flyers, shortly will begin a flying tour of European aerial systems, including an inspection of German aircraft works. He will go to America at the end of May to study aviation developments. He expects to reach Sydney in July. CODOCK’S TASMAN FLIGHT NOT TO BE PROHIBITED MACH I. N E S A’JTSFA CTOR Y MELBOURNE, M:< 7. The Civil Aviation Department does not intend to accept the suggestion from New Zealand to prohibit the flight of the Codock monoplane over the Tasman. The superintendent of flying operations (Mr. Ross), who participated in the Codock’s trial flights, has certified to both the pilot and the machine, ami therefore Mr. White will be able to carry out his flight, providing he carries no passengers for hire. Mr. White, who is now in Sydney, declares that there is no hope of flying the Tasman before May 18. AIRWAYS LTD. STATEMENT. [ Per Press Association. 1 AUCKLAND, May 7. With reference to the Codock cable message from Sydney, the organiser of Dominion Airways, Ltd., said that he believed that it was sent under a misunderstanding. There was never any intention to‘prohibit the flight, but, as announced by Sir C. Kingsford Smith on Saturday, the flight has been cancelled owing to Sir C. Kingsford Smith’s departure for America, and also to the fact that the New Zealand summer is over and a joy-riding tour which it was proposed should follow the Tasman flight would be unprofitable. Mr. Withers said that there had not at any time been any question of the suitability of the ’plane or pilot for the flight. ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA MISS BATTEN’S AMBITION ’PLANE BEING REPAIRED LONDON, May 6. Miss Jean Batten arrived at Lympne from Rome in her repaired machine and continued her flight to Brooklands. She expressed her determination to try again as soon as possible in order to avoid the monsoon. Miss Batten added that everyone in Italy had been most kind, but her return to England was impossible until an Italian lent the underwings of his machine. She must have new ones made, because her old type was not now stocked. She would return the Italian’s wings and start immediately, her own were fitted. SAVED BY PARACHUTES THBEE AIR FORDE OFFICERS COLLISION WHILE LOOPING (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 5. Two pilot officers and one aircraftsman attached to the third flying training school of the Royal Air Force were saved by their parachutes yesterday when during li/jping operations, near Grantham, two aeroplanes collided. The aeroplanes crashed, both engines being buried in the ground. Since in 1926 parachutes were made compulsory in the service, 109 lives have been saved by them up to the beginning of the present year.