GRRAT AIRWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1928, Page 6

GRRAT AIRWAY

PERTH TO ADELAIDE. September '27.

The establishment early next yeah df A u str ali h.’ to Adelaide; will be watched with great interest,- ’ eSpedihlly las it promises to speed up the English mails, delays in which have been causing many complaints by -business, rpeople. When tiecessai-y ;, tliis route night flying r is r cptitethplated,'*■aiid kvitlir this in view tenders have just been let for the lighting-of ’the 538 miles which separates the two cities. The contract, which -has -lie’en let to a v -Perth firm,; is For £l2,47BfH'artdtthe work is to be completed by March 14, 1929. Several features will be. embodied in the.installations it# !ihim m ise '-risb : of the com-, plete failure of the lightning system. The portion df the route to be illuminated extends from Kalgoorlie to Cook, on the transcontinental line. There- will •b^xili^;Mpf)o ; ; jyatt •revolting beacons at different points along the line and each will be mounted on a 20 foot steel tou;ef, Half(kVay up the towers there will be a flood light, to flood the direction letters “E” and “ and 20 feet long, and •.w»iW>be- set out flat along the ground and painted white so as to make them readily visible from the air. These letters will be placed from 45 feet to 20 feet on either side of the base df the beacon tower. As there .y^lrhU ? ;n<^ -local sou^cf/pL ity.|supiAy,|soeeial plant'will'diave tj? be installed to generate the -power.

The longest -internals between . the beScons will be 86 miles—from Deacon to Cook. The;, average distance between the- A>e 52- miles t r :r -;Therewifi be two nigilt landing grounds—one at Kalgoorlie and the other at Forrest, 400 miles,,away. .The lighting arranger ments.ffior. both -grounds will bo- most elaborate. In addition to the beacon , there will he 20 grpund .flood lights of a special to illuminate the landing ground. The whole of the'buildings at >tlie landing places will he illuminated, with flood lights on the outside.'V'/A feature of the -ground flood lights, each of which will be of 1000 watts, is that they will project the light in a horizoifibal ifarfehaped beam,'find at the same time limit the vertical divergence to prevent , the glare from dazzling the ipilot /when., he ,is ; about .to alight.. Tlie tiid external lighting of the buildings will be arranged on two separate circuits so that in the event of the failure of,, one circiut? the,.ground will not ffie*,|>lupged into dfii'Rhessv For the iprecaufion •is.-,unne.ces-: sary, as eac?i will he fitted with two lamps, and 'if one fails a special mechanical (device "will light up the spare and push.' it into proper, focus... --. The hutldin§ which" ipU he the i ' 2^p^ing/ 'will include a hostel.