FLYING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 14 October 1929, Page 5

FLYING.

GRAF ZEPPELIN EXPEDITION CREW REFUSE TO PARTICIPATE. Press Association- Electric TelecraDb -Cooyrigbfr BERLIN, Saturday. Asked if willing to participate in an expedition to the North Pole, the . entire crew of the Graz Zeppelin held a meeting and decided to refuse. The Graf Zeppelin’s crew contend that they were engaged for passenger flights, not risky adventures like Nobile ’s.

The organisers of the proposed Arctic expedition arc threatening to sue Captain Eckener, who had contracted to find a crew. —A. and N.Z. P.A. THE RlOl. LONDON, Saturday. In the presence of hundreds of spectators at daybreak, 400 men took the RlOl from the hangar at Cardington and safely affixed it v to the mooring mast at 7.25 a.m.

The airship made a perfect emergence. It looked a slate grey in the early dawn, but was transformed into shimmering silver when the sun rose. The mooring crew pulled for a mile to the mooring mast, where a cable was attached, and then tons of ballast dropped. The airship rose to the summit, then swung prettily to the breezs, to the cheers of 5000 spectators. The first to go aboard were the designer, Lieu-tenant-Colonel Richardson and Air Marshal Sir John Higgins. The former sent a message expressing delight at the ease with which the ship was handled compared with the difficulties of the R3B. Fuel lines were run out and the loading up began in preparation for the engine tests this afternoon. All the fittings will be tested during the next few days, after which short trial fights will be made. Then the public christening ceremony will take place.—A. and N.Z. P.A.

REPLY TO CRITICISMS. RUGBY. Saturday. Recent criticisms of the airship construction and delay in the trials were referred to last night in a speech at Hull by the Air Minister, Lord Thomson, who recalled the wonderful achievement of the German airship, which one morning was in the centre of Europe, and four days six hours later had reached the furthest point in Asia. If the British had decided to imitate that achievement, two British ships could have been provided years ago. The two new airships now' completed, hov'ever, were the first passenger ships built for that purpose in these islands. They contained many new ideas, and the idea of safety first was being followed. All previous British airships had been war machines. It was not the strength of the wind that had delayed the RlOl, but its direction. They wished to proceed patiently. Airships needed more courage, more faith and more? varied know-

ledge than anj' other form of transportation. —8.0. W.