IN THE AIR.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1919, Page 3

IN THE AIR.

Although we, may very shortly hear of an aeroplane flying successfully from Newfounland to the United Kingdom without alighting on the way, tho future of aerial traffic across the oceans is with airships. Developments in airship construction are even larger and more rapid now than developments in- the construction of aeroplanes. The other day the British airship R. 34 kept aloft and cruised for nearly twenty hours in bad weather. Britain is going ahead wonderfully in

this branch of aerial navigation. ..The best German airship, of the L7O class, had a capacity of 2,195,000 cubic feet, and could cruise for 177 J hours at 45 miles an hour. Tlie new English ship R3B has a larger capacity—2,72o,ooo cubic feet—and can cruise 211 hours at 45 miles an hour. People are beginning to 'predict ships with a capacity of 10 million cubic feet, which will be able to lift 200 tons, and remain aloft for three weeks, travelling up to 20,000 miles in that period. Very few, if any of us will travel all the way from New Zealand to London in an aeroplane, but it is likely that the people in this country will one daj do the trip in an airship, making the journey in a week or less.