TASMAN AIRCRAFT TESTS SATISFACTORY

Grey River Argus, 1 April 1948, Page 5

TASMAN AIRCRAFT TESTS SATISFACTORY

AUCKLAND, March 29. Gratifying results were reported after test flights made to-day and on Sunday in the Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat New Zealand. The aircraft is one on which the company’s engineers, headed by Mr G. B. Bolt, have been working for some weeks, and throughout the holidays in an effort to incorporate modifications (to Mr Bolt’s desm intending to reduce cylinder-head, temperatures in certain conditions ot flight, . , All air tests since the engineers reasearch passed from tlie design and work-bench stage have been done with the New Zealand. She is now fitted with four reconditioned Pratt and Whitney engines and certain modifications have been incorporated. The tests have included flying and climbing on three engines at their rated power. All air tests have been made by Captain A. V. Jury, who has been accompanied by ground engineers. Particular interest has been shown in the engineering work and its results by three prominent British aircraft experts, who reached Auckland last week. They are Messrs R. H. Warde, a representative of the Air Registration Board of Great Britain S. G. Marshall, senior flight technician emnloyed by Short and Harland, Ltd., of Belfast, and E. JCrowson, technical officer of the British Overseas Airways Corporation. Oases of other aircraft like the Tasman type having engines run unduly hot in certain conditions have been reported from abroad and there is interest in the possibility that a problem encountered by engineers in different countries may have been finally solved by the engineering staff of Tasman Airways.