AVIATION PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 261, 31 July 1919, Page 7

AVIATION PROSPECTS

POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND

INTERVIEW WITH LIEUT.COLONEL BETTINGTON

The military value of the aeroplane vrasemphasised by - Lioutenant-Colonel \. liettington, m tne coursb of a general btatement regarding aviation prospects in New Zealand. Colonel Bettington, who is Air Adviser to the New Zealand t-ovemnient, has • -joiupleted a report uealing with aerial defonee and mail services, and; he intends to leave Now Zealand shortly on, his return to Great Britaim He is strongly of opinion that no oelenco system can' bo sound that doea not , include a flying branch. , lnß aeroplane, said Colonel Betting, ton, had been included in naval equipment. In the early stages of the war the aeroplanes carried by warships were small.' They ascended from platforms erected on the forward gun-tun-eta, and thev had to descend, at the end of their night, in the water. It was seldom pes. siblo' to salvage the machino in ah undamaged condition. But condition!, changed very niuoh. in tho later years of the war. The aeroplanes were carried bv mother-ships, which had a great expanse of deck space. Even the funnels were abolished, and aeroplanes could fly from these floating norodroraos, and return to them with ease. There was no doubt that these mother-ships, wuld.be attached to all fleets'in the futifro, and aeroplane attack,would bo added to the dangers that faced any undefended country. The sea would not protect, since a fleet lying out of sight off tho coast ' could shattor towns and wreck communications by 'm<pns of aerial attack. An American authority, said Colonel Bettington, had stated that "in a battle between a sea fleet and an air-fleet, the former would be defeated." It was claimed by tho same. ' authority , that against a, sufficient number of well-equip-.lied aircraft no landing of sufficient size to be effective, could bo mado in a country accessible only by sea. .These were points of' very great importance to a country like New Zealand, with a very long stretch of practically undefended . coastline. ' The aeroplanes had played a . great part in the iccent war, and .they would play a greater part in any war of.tho future., . '.".-.: ... ' . Colonel Bettington has no. doubt at all about the rapid development of the commercial aeroplane. "The time is not far distant," ho said, "when the business man in Auokland may order his machine in tho. .morning to proceed to AVellington, whero he may transact his business, and return-, in the afternoon. This will bo done with as'little thought as. a car is now ordered to proceed-to,. Fay, Palmerston, or any other place distant from.2J to 3 hours.-. Some people will own their own aero-de-luxe machines tmd keep a pilot; others will possess and' ily their own; while another class may lire one for the. day as they now do a car from a, garage; still others .may merely, buy a. ticket for the journey and proceed by: a regular, service, starting at a 'schedule time. It is cheap to walk, 'luoro expensive to travel by horse and ■ cart, sti'u mora expensive to do the same journey by'car, aDd will be still more expensive too .-travel by air; except, possibly, where- other means of locomotion are impracticable .or absurd.' _ Aircraft will serve to-reach far.distant and inaccessible parts, and I 6ee no reason why many farmers-in outlying districts should .not own their own aircraft-and, proceed to and from their stations to: town. It would not he a difficult or expensive undertaking for a farmer to provide.a Hat piece of grass land neat 1, his home from which to start and. aligl'.t; on this a. wood and- iron_shelter for the machine could be erected. The grass paddock would lie used as ordinary grazing land except for the few minutes when starting or' alighting 1 ; during these times a dog could drive the stock-to ono side of the padejock. At the other end there should be either municipal or pyivatelyowned aviatipii'garages-where machines could be left or housed during the time 'the business nian- or -farmer was transacting: his business'.. AVhe're Government aerodromes existed;- probably "■ arrangciients":could' lib' made by private companies or' owners to erect a few. hangars and petrol stores for civilian.uses;.' "lii times of ■ peace there appears 'to be no reason why certain portions of: the forco and equipment necessary for the aerial defence of New Zealand should iibfc be utilised for commercial use and mail transport, nnd thus the country might recoup itself for a portion.of the cost of a defensive scheme; at any fate, until such' time as the purely, commercial needs demanded a separate organisation. By this means also would the possibilities of aircraft for civilian uses be demonstrated to the public. The training given to pilots and mechanics will go further to provide them with . professions' in' civil life than any other f«rm of defence training—viz., fitters, carpenters, machinists, wireless operators, photographers, etc., etc., should find " all .ready employment in ordinary life." ■Tho date of Colonel Bettington's departure from New Zealand has not yet been fixed.. He had intended to'leave in the near future, but the Government, ■it is understood, has suggested that lie ■ should remain long enough to confer with the returning Ministers. .