Aviation's Richest Prize

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1949, Page 7

Aviation's Richest Prize

The Brabazon I, the largest civil land plane in the world, which had its maiden fliglit 011 Sunday, was discussed, desigfied, and built with one great aim, to fly the Atlantic non-stop, London to New York. That is the richest aviation prize, and the most diflicult of ail. The Brabazon — and the other great aircraft which will later parallel its service — will link the two greatest cities and the two greatest eoncentrations of population anywliere, but the dis^anee is tremendous and the weather is the most difhcult of any world airline. So it is that the British, Ameriean, and Kuropean airlines whieli today fly between the two continents daily must break their flights to refuel, thus: London to Shannon (Ireland), 373 miles; Shannon to Gander (Newfoundland), 4.975 mil'es; Gander to New York, 1095 miles. To the enormous air distance of 3443 miles the Atlantic adds winds . and gales, which blow heavily and steadily from west to east, to streteh out ihe niiles over the_ water to 5500 through the air 011 the London-New York crossing. Going back, of course, the winds and gales are all to the good, but there is 110 dirliner in serviqe today that can cperate economieally, with any sort of payload, London-New York direct. That is what the Brabazon is for, and the Brabazon II, which follows on tiie Oentaurus-powered Brabazon I, is exptcted to rise to still further lieiglits 111 profltable longest-distance operation on the power of her eight Proteus turbo-prop engines.