AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1928, Page 3

AVIATION

(United Press Association.—By Electro Telegraph.—Copy right.) LONDON, April l-b Kir R. Iloaro and the German Ambassador at London sent t nngrnuilatory messages to Mr Cosgrove on the flight success. INTEREST IN ELY (Received this day at 9.80 a.m.) NEW YORK. April If. Interest in the Bremen's Might seemingly Ims doubled overnight, the solely of the fliers and their peculiar isolation adding to the interest. Hundreds of mes-.,ages of e-iugra t illations from American fliers and men prominent in nflieinl life have been wire.le~.sed to the flier'. President Coolidge’s felicitations were sent by wireless immediately alter the news of the landing had been confirmed. He is also iougratulating the Irish and German nation.-. Meantime New York City is plaining an otliejal welcome 'to the lliers all arrival here on an unprecedented scab*. Ellorts will he made at a great: state dinner to broadcast the speeches by them around the world. Thompson in the name of Chicago, has sent a wireless message to aviators inviting them to he the guests of the city.

AVIATION EXPERT’S SHEWS. (Received this day at 11.0 a rn.) LONDON. April lb The "Daily. Telegraph's’’ aviatini expert says without in the least do tracting from the aviators’ courage sound technical preparations, and giy ing full marks to the engine, it must he said the Bremen's flight has prnvei nothing except that the difficulties of a westward flight have been accurately estimated. She drilled 100 miles out al her course and she was so delayed by bead winds that slie escaped disaster narrowly. She was picked up in Lhirt.v-seven hours and ought to have had petrol lor another three. It is iriilinble towards the end the aviators ailing to sight land, realised they must lie reuse their speed even at a eo-t of diorteiiing the duration of tile flight. The distance flown in a straight line is -MOD miles, working out at only 55 niles hourly. In (-aim air the -need i'll) miles. Her loss of snood van due I a he opposing wind and wandering nil he course. Accurate navigation is imlossihle with either astroneiniral nhsor'ations or directional nireless. For he eastward trans-Ai lan tie flight. 20 lours suffice to reach hi ml somewhere n Europe. Westward one must havi i capacity for 111 hours’ living hut : I■.■ enson for the series ol attempts in ingle-engined machines without witness, lies in the inherent disability of he aeroplane, which cannot carry the ccossary weight of fuel required by a lttlti-ongined machine for such a long eriod. hut a two or three-engined taehine could he adapted lor the pttrose. especially a Hying boat, which mid land in the ocean il necessary ml keep afloat till help came.

LONG-DIS TANCE ELI ERS. (Received this day at 8.50 a.m.) HARIS. April lb Gostes and Lebrix have arrived at Le Hourget. Three squadrons of military aeroplanes went out to meet the fliers, who were surrounded by a vast crowd immediately they landed. The police harriers were demolished and the airmen seized by admirers and carried shoulder high to a specially prepared hangar where M. Perrier I Minister of the Colonies) welcomed them, and afterwards escorted by invnlry they drove to Haris and chatted with them. Subsequently the liters appeared on a balcony of Louvre Building where they were accorded a tremendous ovation. They looked thin hut cheerful. They |,.ft’ Haris on IDlh March and covered dl’-T miles in .",38 Hying hours.

VNOTIIKIt COMING FLY. XKW YOKK. April 11. A message from San Francisco states ..lent. George pond announced to-day t.liii.L within a fortnight he and Kmgs-fnrd-Smith would take oil in thoGrunlFokker "Spirit of California" in a nonstop flight to Hawaii. Au-tralia is the ultimate objective. artificial islands, for USK AS ATI-;. BASKS. (Received this day at 10.10 a.m.) NKW YORK. April It. An air service, linking America with Australia in four days, is possible, at the present stage of aerial development by means of artificial islands, according to an American group which has been organised to construct such islands in live Atlantic. They will extend the service to the Pacific as soon as they have proved the European route. The .construction ol an island that will withstand the worst, buffetling of seas is already practicable. I licy say models constructed by K. R- Armstrong. the well-known engineer, have remained level under tests which .would swamp the largest liners. Armstrong’s Island consists ol a huge platform resting upon buoyant tanks with ballast underneath. The island will he a"' cliored by concave discs lowered to the <v . can's floor, where a combination of

suction with the pressure cf the sea upon the discs makes them absolutely immovable. Each'island will cost about half a million sterling to build. They will he placed about four hundred miles apart, with hotels, supply houses, repair shops etc. The inventor. Armstrong, who is chief engiuer for Dupont Compauv. and has a great reputation among engineers, has keen working to perfect the island for ten years. The models have met the most rigid test devisable. The only obstacle he predicts is international objections in pushing the artificial islands close to countries against which they could be used as air bases in case ol war.