The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1928. AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1928. AVIATION.

!| The success of the Trans-Tasman I flight tiiis week has directed speoial J attention to the possibilities of aviaS tion in serving our own Dominion. New j Zealand is very isolated. Not only an !§ outpost of the Empire, the Dominion is 1 aso set in a. remote quarter of tlie !| globe, and there is much intervening ij water to cross from any continent, j Australia is our nearest land neighI! Lour of any size, and there arc at least ] 1,400 miles of ocean separating the i two countries, with no resting place ij between. The situation of New Zeaj land therefore offers a special problem j| in aviation if this new means of transI pol-t is to serve the country. AviaJ tion is doing much for many countries, j and the possibilities here are being dej monstrated by Aero Clubs in eomiec- | tion with which Moth planes are bej ing used to Jiop about the Islands. | These Clubs in many cases are creating j an air sense and that will grow here I generally. The exploit of the “SouthII ern Cross” will assist also to- develop J much enthusiasm and sound interest I in the same direction. Perhaps the j ‘‘Southern Cross” is not the ideal s machine for a trans-ocean flight in respect to which it is intended to establish a commercial service. Doubtless ) tlie sea piano type of machine would [ bo tlie safest. The “Southern Cross,” however, is a splendid type of machine, j as the record has shown. Tlie maeli- ) ine lias flown from the United States > to Australia via Honolulu and Suva, I and thence crossed and recrossed tlie J Australian continent. Now has come I the trip to New Zealand. The weather ) experienced on the several voyages has I icen a very full test of the machine, I I apart from the test of piloting the aeroplane on the lone journey above the I clouds. Some bad weather was ex I perienced between Suva and Brisbane, I but that from Sydney to New Zealand i was even worse. Tn addition to a wind 1 nnd rain storm of wild excess, there i • . .

! was n heavy electrical disturbance which really carried serious dangers ill its lightning flashes up in the clouds. The conditions such as were experienced, indicate that the voyagers were wise in the first instance to study the weather reports. They also suggest tluit machines and equipment must be of the very best to win through the elements at times to be encountered. The “Southern Cross” was equipped wisely with radio, but good as the plant proved in the past, it was put out of order and out of action by the prevailing storm. Something better still must be devised in that respect, for facilities for regular aerial communication appears to be one of the first essentials in aviation. Direction finding appears to be the first principle in ocean voyaging where there are no physical features to assist in picking up the necessary route. Clouds often obscure the view, or swallow up the machines for the time being, and safety rests best with the information to be picked up by a wireless call. AVhat the “Southern Cross” has accomplished and demonstrated, is that the ocean by a measure of safeguards can be crossed with safety, and that security he can best be assured by learning from the experience of others, and carrying an equipment equal to all emergencies. The capability of the crew of the “Southern Cross” appears to be beyond question. This too is a great factor, for it lias been shown they are not prepared to take risks merely for stunting purposes. They set out to do something safely, and well. They suceoded handsomely in the face of raging elements. For that success they deserve all credit, and the renown which will be theirs always has been well and truly earned by personal merit and resourceful courage.