EACH TYPE ITS OWN USE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 39, 15 February 1930, Page 9

EACH TYPE ITS OWN USE

EMPIRE COMMUNICATION

BUENEY LOOKS AHEAD

British Official Wireless.

RUGBY, 13th February

Sir Donniston Burney, diseussir^g the various types of aircraft in relation to the economic development of the- Empire last night, said that he tfoqught : the excellent results obtained £roni their two experimental airships, KIOO and RlOl, left no doubt aa to the feasibility of constructing a rigid aireihip capable of a cruising speed of 90 miles an hour with a commercial rangel of 3500 miles, and with the ability to carry a pay load, exclusive of crew and fuel, of 30 to 50 tons at that speed aaiid range. Beecnt developments in flying boa.ts suggested that that type of craft.woujld shortly attain a commercial range of 1250 miles at 120 miles hourly, and with a pay load of 10 tons. With regard^to the large land aeroplane a machine with a commercial range of 000 miles and with a speeil of 110 miles an hou-r, and a pay load', capacity of four tons, seemed a reas* onable certainty.

The airship, however, was becoming; more efficient with every new obstruction, and 'there seemed little doubt that the next few years would see tho solutio/i, of practically all the difficulties, which now militated againsfr its commercial operation.

The three types would not be competing types, but supplementary to each other. The great trunk lines of tha Imperial air system would be big airship and flying-boat routes which would serve within the Empire, a function similar to that served by tho great trunk railways of the United States of America. A host of short distance or feeder aeroplane routes, linking up every town and province with the main arteries, would complete the .system.

The financial cost of tho inauguration of the scheme would bo very great,, but the impetus given to Empire trade and industries wouli repay; tho outlay.