“REACHED PITCH OF PERFECTION”
Air Transport in America
KINGSFORD SMITH ON WAY HOME
Dominion Special Service.
Auckland, January 25.
“Air transport has reached a pitch of perfection in the United States.” said Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, who is a through passenger on the Monterey, which called at Auckland to-day. en route to Sydney. Sir Charles is returning from the United States after his Hight across the Pacific from Brisbane to San Francisco. He said he felt in need of a rest after an energetic life in the United States. His navigator, Captain Taylor, would probably return by the Mariposa. Lady Kingsford Smith had cabled to say she would fly overhead in the Southern Cross when the Monterey reached Sydney Heads. Referring to the efficiency of American air services. Sir Charles said he had flown 6,000 miles on airways while he was in the United States and the average speed was about 190 miles an hour. Forced landings were very uncommon and if accidents were regarded in their correct perspective they were still more rare. Every month ’ American airliners flew 23,000,000 miles and during the whole of his career he had flown 7.000,0(H) miles. “After having seen the efficiency of single engined aircraft in use over comparatively short distances in the United States 1 am more strongly in favour of them.” coiitinued Sir Charles. Night flying was as safe as it was possible to make it, beacops having been placed every 10 miles, and emergency landing grounds every 30 miles, There was the additional safety of beam radio which guided aeroplanes from airport to airport. In fact, pilots were never without guidance during the whole journey.American Craft >lave Advantage. Sir Charles said he considered American aircraft were more suited to the conditions in Australia than English aircraft. He proposed floating a company for the manufacture of two American types of aeroplane. Lockheed ami Douglas, in Australia. It was intended to produce wooden types of Lockheed, which were Altair, Orion. Sirius and Vega After Sir Charles and Captain Taylor had landed in California an attachment was placed on the Lockheed aeroplane. Sir Charles explained that tb.e in.au Who considered the debt was owing ha dobtained an order,, tint the matter was settled out of court. The Lockheed was up for sale now, and the price asked was £2500. Offers for the machine liad not been very good. Sir Charles flew from Los Angeles to California in 1 hour 35 minutes in the same aeroplane lie had brought across the Pacific, The distance was 350 miles, ami the time was within five minutes of the existing speed record. lie had also visited Cincinnati by air, which was about 2100 miles from Los Angeles. The Altair had been overhauled by the Lockheed factory at Burbank, near Los Angeles. Sir Charles paid a tribute to the ready manner in which American military, and naval forces responded to the SOS call from Mr. Ulm. The work of the pilots was splendid, and very thorough. There was never any mention of cost and no one spared themselves. -
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Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 104, 26 January 1935, Page 8
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510“REACHED PITCH OF PERFECTION” Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 104, 26 January 1935, Page 8
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