AIR FLYING.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1920, Page 2

AIR FLYING.

ACbIUAUaN iV N. 4. CA/H.E ASSOCIATION; an interesting lecture(lleceiyed this’ day at 9.20 a.m.) LONDON; April 20. Air Commodore'Maitland lecturing at tho Royal Society of Arts on the commercial future of the Airship, said that its chief advantage was the safe, and rapid long-distance transport, and the easy intercliangability of commercial airships into fighting machines, also to enable immediate provision for a fighting fleet with full personnel in the event of war.

ACbIUALIaN (e N-4- OA/IUE ASSOCIATION.

Austrajia had recently made a determined effort to shorten the time occupied by sea pasasge to Britain and apparently the steamship companies' were unable to improve services because improvement would entail the construction of such immense steamers as to he out of proportion to the volume of traffic; moreover the Suez Canal would prevent its use hv the larger liners, hut, the largest airships could fly profitaiblv* over Australian and other main sea* routes at commercial prices. It jvas unlikely the air services would as yet successively compete with fast land transport. Better meteorological knowledge would he required to enable winds to he regarded as friends instead of enemies. The route to Australia crosses permanent easterly trade winds at right angles, and turns eastward from Cape, receiving assistance in the roaring' forties. The return journey to be made to the equator by utilising the easterlies. Existing airships could show a profit of fifteen per cent in participating in the Autsralian service by carrying a ton of mails at two shillings per ounce and passengers at £l9O. Each flight would occupy 9) days.