AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1928, Page 3

AVIATION.

Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) BRONZE BUST FOR. HINKLER.. LONDON, Feb. 28. Tim Czoclio-Slovakian sculptor, Otakar Ktconhorger, desiring to commemorate the Australian national hero has decided to make a bronze bust of Hinkler. which lie is asking the Royal Aero Club to band to Hinkler. A GREAT FLIGHT (Received this day at 11.15 a.in.) LONDON, Feh. 27. In answer to a question in the Commons, Sir R. Hoare stated:—“l cannot at present add much to the information given by the press regarding Hinkler’s outstanding achievement, which I am gla<l to see has been given the. prominence it undoubtedly deserves.” Hoare detailed the records broken and said Hinkler’s total living time was 131 hours. Therefore if the flight had been continuous day and night, he would have occupied only five days fourteen hours. Taking the whole time spent in the llight. including night and day halts, the distance worked out at thirty miles hourly. Taking the time, of actual flying the sliced averaged 89 miles hourly. The fact that 12,000 miles were covered without repairs, was a striking testimony to tho reliability of the machine. One of the most striking features of the flight was that the machine used was a standard A'ro-Avian with a Cirrus engine which had been in use since 1920. The only alteration before the flight was the incorporation of extra tankage. A machine of this typo complete, apart from extra tanks cost £730 and approximately Hinkler’s consumption of petrol and oil cost, only £SO. These figures were a striking indication of the great potentialities of aircraft for communications over vast stretches of Empire, over which other means of communication were either non-existent or relatively undeveloped . AN AIRMAN’S ACTION. LONDON. Feh. 27. Jackson before his death punctured the petrol tank and ignited the escaping. petrol by firing a vorey light thereat, thus ensured the destruction of the machine.