ATTEMPT TO BREAK AIR RECORD

Chronicle (Levin), 22 August 1946, Page 5

ATTEMPT TO BREAK AIR RECORD

Press Assn.

LANCASTER LEAVB ENCLAND FOR - NEW ZEALAND

By Telegraph

Copyright

Received Thursday, 10.40 a.m. LONDON, August 21. The R.A.F. Lancaster Aries took off from Black Bush, near Camberley, at 12.39 G.M.T. The special flight plan provides the ftrst stop as Bombay, though the crew is hopeful of reachihg Madras. The Aries, after refuelling", will eontinue direct to Australia? where the exact landing place has not yet been decided, and thence fly to Ohakea, New Zealand, which it is hoped will be reached . in 58 hours after the take-off for the 10,800 miles, as_ compared with the present fastest trip of 60 hours 45 minutes established by a Lancastrian. This is not recognised as the record, beeause the crew changed en route.

The * crew "believes that only adverse weather will prevent the Aries from fulfilling the schedule. The Aries wiih its special equipment, petrol and crew, was weightea ai 32 tons at the take-off. Sh,e is carrying the latest navigational equipment. Part of the purpose of the flight is an experiment by the crew in fatigue. The men will have cold food, hot drinks, regular four-hour watches and regular sleep. Research in Navigation A new system of air navigation, pressure pattern flying, will be one of the subjects for research by the crew of the Aries when it has completed an instructional tour -of Australia and New Zealand. The navigators, explaining the system before the Aries took off, said it was still in the developmental stage. R.A.F. research workers at Farnborough first suggested it in 1942. The Americans later developed it with the assistance of accurate radar heightfinding apparatus. It was explained that experts are able to predict the e pressure in areas along the aircraft's course. Navigators, aided by the forecast, can lay out a course allowing for drift based on the mean of a wind's known pressure. They now have mstruments with which they can read the pressures themselves in flight. The Americans are working on the system for civil airlines. The R.A.F. is at present ironing out "the wrinkles." The Aries, in her outward flight. Ls using refinements in the normal navigational methods, and will test and study the pressure system on the short and leisurely hop on the homeward flight. Arrival on Saturclay The aircraft is due to arrive at Ohakea aerodrome at noon (New Zealand time) on Saturday. It is

hoped that radio telephone conv^rsation between the control tower at Ohakea and the aircraft will be rebroadcast during the.latter stages of the trip from Darwin. The aircraft will be met on arrival by the Acting-Chief of Air Staff. Air Commodore S. Wallingford and other oflicers from the Air Department. The aircraft will carry a mission from the Empire Air Navigation School, Shawbury, England. The leader of the mission is Air Commodore N. H. D'Aeth, Commandant of the Air Navigation School. Also in the party is Group Captain Stapleton, the Air Ministry representative. The captain of the aircraft is Squadron Leader Aldridge; the other oflicers and members of the crew are all R.A.F. personnei, with the exception of FlightLieutenant J. J. McDowell, M.B.E.. Christchurch, who will be the second navigator, and who is the R.N.Z.A-F. representative at the Empire Air Navigation School. Plane's Famous Flights It is expected that great interest will be taken in the visit of the Aries, as she has aiready made many fqmous flights, including a flight over the North Magnetic Pole and a record flight from England to Cape Town. During the North Pole trip, the aircraft flew non-stop from Whitehorse, Alaska, to Shawbury, England, in 18£ hours. The Aries has many distinctive features that make it unlike a normal Lancaster. Interior and exterior modifications were carried out to provide high speed and long range for the polar flight. Since then, additional fuel space has been provided and the aircraft. Which carries 4000 Imperial gallons, is capable of maintaining a cruising speed of approximately 240 m.p.h. for 23 consecutive hours without refuelling.