FLYING IN AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 57, 4 September 1926, Page 20

FLYING IN AUSTRALIA

(PROMINENT PART TO J3E PLAYED

IN DEFENCE.

. "For the money which is being spent on the two 10,000-ton cruisers which are being built for the Navy we could buy 3000 flying machines, and this powerful force could be moved from any part of Australia to any other in seven days," said Mr. H. G. Larking of the Larkin Aircraft Supply Company, in an address to the Victorian Institute of Surveyors recently, reports the Melbourne "Argus." Flying-men, said' Mr. Larkin, were anxious that the Air Force should be allotted a greater sum in the Estimates. If as much money had been spent on the Air Force as had been spent on the other two branches of defence forces Australia would be safer to-day. Commenting upon. . the accidents which have happened.to military airmen, Mr. Larkin said that a military airman was forced" to. taks risks during training. Pilots had to be trained to. perform "stunts" because, in war, their lives might depend upon their skill in this direction. Military airmen were trained, to fly their machines in close formation, whereas a civil airman was not allowed'to take his machine within 200 yards of another machine. In civil flying, therefore, there was little danger. The* machines owned by-Ms company had flown 1,000,000 miles without an accident. Along prepared routes,'-where there was adequate ground organisation, a passenger took less risk travelling by air than he took' travelling by land. Much work remained to be done in Australia in civil aviation. Photographs of ' rivers in flood would be'valuable, and work in this»direction would soon be begun. , Referring to the recent establishment, of aero clubs, Mr. Larkin said that, though he did not believe anyone could learn to fly 'for £25, much good would be done if a number of men discovered that .flying was safe' and pleasant by becoming members of these organisations. The civil companies estimated that it cost £500 to train a pilot. The aircraft companies, thought that ' the Government would find it necessary to establish schools to train pilots for nonmilitary services, as the companies were not able to afford to make the necessary outlay. The number of privatelyowned machines would not increase, said Mr. Larkin, until ground organisation had been improved. At present district authorities were being asked to prepare landing grounds throughout the country.