AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1928, Page 3

AVIATION.

By Telegraph—Press Assn., Copyright MOODY’S EXPECTATIONS. (Received Ibis day. at 11.5 a.in.) SYDNEY, Jan. 20. Moody and Jolley state they do not expect any objection to be raised t their flight by the aviation authorities. They contend the Federal Government lias no power to prevent the flight, 'the Ryan monoplane to be used on this flight was originally the property o Louis Seifert, of Palmerston North.

Seifert in November last received ; letter from Colonel Brinsmead, Con trailer of Civil Aviation in Australia stating it was not necessary to obfaii permission from the Civil Aviation Department to undertake a flight Iron Australia to New Zealand, provide: passengers were not carried tor pay incut.

Moody says lie cannot understand the insistence of -Mr Bruce on having floats fixed on a monoplane. “ Our speed and petrol supply are of paramount importance, and floats would retard the travelling rate by fifteen miles an hour, while on the other hand the weight would compel us to carry less petrol.”

EDITOR’S STATEMENT. SYDNEY, Jan. 20. The editor of the “Morning Herald,” says the statement published in the “ Herald,” that the New Zealand aviators, Hood and Moncrieff, when they landed in Australia had very limited financial resources was based on information supplied by Captain Kight. It was pointed out by him that additional funds had been raised in Australia to have the monoplane assembled, and that those resources were so slender the airmen could not remain long enough in Australia to permit of the machine being thoroughly tested on prolonged land flights.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 20. Realising the inevitability of failure during the last few hours due to a shortage of petrol, Smith and Pond struggled desperately to conserve their fuel. They remained in the air above .Mills Field until the emergency tanks were drained. They landed chilled and exhausted. Both had to ho lifted from the plane.

THE FLIERS’ STATEMENT. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 19. The fliers upon landing, deafened by tho drone of the motors, were unable to bear the shouts of the onlookers. They said they knew at two in the morning they would he unable to break the record. The petrol consumption had been far greater than estimated. They suffered much from cold and the loss of sleep bujt decided to remain in the air as long as possible. They blamed the failure wholly to the cold which forced them to speed the motors to obtain warmth, thus increasing the pet rol consumption.