SEA AIR SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 108, 31 January 1921, Page 5

SEA AIR SERVICES

AIRSHIPS FOR ATLANTIC ROUTE

The Atlantic has been crossed by aeroplane, by flying-boat, and by airship, and of these three divisions the last-named is tho one clearly destined to open up regular trans-ocean aerial communications (writes Major C. C. Turner, in the London “Observer"). The flying-boat may one day also be used for such services, but more probably its employment will bo restricted to the shorter routes.

There is no reason why a limited crossAtlantic airship service should not soon be attempted—say, within the next two years; and, as Mr. 11. B. Pratt (of Vickers), in his book on “Commercial Airships” points out, it would be better at first not to attempt a. regular timetable service of two crossings each way per week except in the May to September period. He also explains that wheieas the eastwards journey, on account of the prevailing winds, could be direct from New York to London, it would be necessary for the westwards journey to take a more southerly line, leaving Europe at Lisbon, or thereabouts- This, of course, would mean that travellers would have to go to Lisbon by railway or aeroplane. From Listen to New York the distance is 4250 miles, from New York to London it is 3500 miles. As there would often be helping wind all the way across eastwards, it would probably be found m practice, taking into account the time spent in getting to Lisbon, the aveia„ times would work out at something like fifty hours for the eastwards journey and 120 hours for the westwards. . . Tn proposing cross-Atlantic airship services a comparison is sought With the most efficient marine services in the world, and far greater advantages of aircraft could bo shown m parts of the world where existing transport is not so "ood. It says much for the confidence of airship engineers that they do not hesitate- to make even this comparison, and n spite of the fact that the> weather-of the North Atlantic is so difficult Mr. Pratt makes cautious Reservations on the score of weather conditions, says must be further studied; but. h claims that crossings would be practicable on 366 days of the year. Organisation will be necessary for such an SpeiTmental service as is but it is sufficiently remarkable ths? without postulating airships of grea speed than some already m existence is not unreasonable to propose a • met- season Atlantic service on tho lineXested bv Mr. Pratt. Tn some parte they are the reriors of reliable rreatber or very light winds. The Airship’s Advantage. The airsNp has the great advantage that it can remain aloft if necessary with its engines idle, and that in a favourable wind it will suffice to maintain merely steerage or manoeuyrng way, thus economising fuel. It 1 s a lo p distance craft, and can often choose the weather areas in which to travel and dodge storms. Aeroplanes have on many occaskuis done a certain amount of storm dodging, but they are relatively shortdistance craft, and their flight is so limited in duration that m their case the question scarcely arises. Airship experts appear often to be overcautious and fearful lest they should claim too much. Mr. Pratt nowhere assumes vessels possessing a greater an speed than 75 miles per hour at the maximum (full power), and a normal air speed of 60 miles per hour. For an aeroplane, with its limited duration, such a speed would bo ridiculously low. but in an airship it is said to be good enough; many people,,indeed, think it is sufficient for a summer-season service across the Atlantic, using Lisbon as one of the termini. Increase of speed in airships built on present linos would no doubt involve a more than proportional increase in fuelconsumption, but it is unreasonable to assume that no improvements in airship design are possible—improvements which would give greater speed on the same, or even less fuel. Bearing in mind the progress in till classes ot aircraft dining the'past few years is it not unreasonable to accept tho Bodensee, with its maximum speed of 81 miles per hour, or the L 71, with its maximum speed of 75 miles per hour, as unsurpassable airship types, each having a cruising air-speed of no more than about GO miles per hour? Are German airship engineers content with this? Meanwhile, let a beginning bo made with airship services in some favoured region, or even a two-way fine-season Atlantic service. It is of the highest importance, that) a beginning should be made and practical data secured relating to the avoidance of bad-weather areas and the utilisation of good ones. Speed and Wind.

Tho cost of airship transport even on the present basis is so low that with the provision of all necessary organisation it should not be difficult to put it on a commercial footing. The cost, according to figures given by Mr. Pratt and by experts at the Air Conference, is about 2s. 9d. per ton per mile, and it has been shown that by using bigger ships it could be reduced by 40 per oent. There is good reason therefore for making a full-scale experiment, and securing the working experience indispensable before wider efforts become possible. Meanwhile, airship engineers can tackle the vital problem of increase of speed, which is probably not insoluble; and the more hours that are spent on a journey the more stores must be carried.

With regard to the influence of the wind on the Atlantic route, it must be borne in mined that with tho southwesterly prevalent streams in these latitudes every increase .of altitude almost invariably moans an increase in the strength of the wind, helpful for the eastwards journey, but opposing the westwards; nor are easterly wind', usually met oven at/ high altitudes during the prevalence of the westerly type of weather.