AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1928, Page 5

AVIATION

LEVINE’S FAILURE ON TRANS-ATLANTIC VENTURE. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). NEW YORK, Oct. 11. Disaster ended the airman Levine's attempt at a flight to Rome. His BelJanca Columbia plane, very heavily laden, crashed at the golf links two miles from Curtis Field. It was unable to rise over the tree tops. The two pilots were unhurt. The plane was badly smashed and strained, A REMARKABLE PASSENGER. BERLIN, Get. 11. Perhaps the most remarkable passenger on the Zeppelin is the American, Frederick Giliillen, who has been marooned in Europe for the past 12 years, owing to his fear of a sea voyage. He was twice shipwrecked while trying to cross the Atlantic. On the second occasion he swore that he would not tread the deck of a ship again.

IS ATLANTIC AN AIR ROUTE? LONDON, Oct. 12.

Commenting on the Zeppelin’s trip, the Daily Chronicle” expresses the opinion that the Atlantic crossing is not an ideal route for an airship, and says that the route, on the other hand, is peculiarly adapted to a combination of the steamer and the aeroplane. Ideal airship routes, it says, are those to India and Australia, where greater distances and the directness of the sea voyage would multiply the airship’s supremacy. The E m P’ re had more to gain thereby than any other unit, and ought already to have tackled the job.

GERMAN EFFICIENCY. LONDON, Oct. 12. Mayor Turner, the “Daily Telegraph’s” aviation expert, reporting from Berlin, expresses admiration at the efficiency and the discipline in the delicate operation of starting out with the Zeppelin. The whole tiling called for nerve and skill. The airship fitted its hangar almost like a glove, with only a few inches between the enve--lope and the roof. ZEPPELIN’S SLOW PROGRESS. (Received this day at 10 a.m.) LONDON, October 12. A message from -Fried riclisha ton states adverse weather is hampering the zeppelin and it will probably be one hundred hours before she will reach Lakehurst, -.compared with seven-ty-five of zeppelin 3, whose course was 2,000 kilometres shorter. Nothing has been received direct from the zeppelin since last night, but her wireless was heard in code, talking with steamers since seven this morning. BERLIN, October 12.

The zeppelin appears to be making slower progress than expected. If the times are correct she took five hours to do one hundred and fifty miles from Barcelona to Castellon De La Plana and then only five hours to do four hundred and ten miles from the latter to Gibraltar, where she passed at five this morning. She had previously wirelessed that she hoped to pass the Azores at two this morning.

PROGRESS OF ZEPPELIN. PASSENGERS AIR SICK. (Received this dnv at 10 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 12. A message from Ponta de Egad a states the Zeppelin passed ’over Madeira at 10.35 p.m. Greenwich time. It sent a wireless message that it would pass Azores to-night. The passengers are exceedingly air-sick. The Zeppelin’s timetable after Basle reads: Belfast 9.45; Bvoa, near Lyons 12.25; Montelimar 2.45; Sainter del Amer 3.30; Barcelona 6.50. Thereafter the messages are confused but it is recalled that Eckener before the start was made expressly warned the public against anxiety if there was no news. There is some surprise that the Zeppelin is making; the voyage during had weather. It is known that Eckener admitted that the weather was dirty enough outside, but as he glanced’ at the airship ho seemed full of confidence and said he would go at all costs.