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IN ANTARCTICA

(By Russell Owen—Copyrighted 1999 by the New York Times Company, and St, Louis Post Dispatch. All rights for publication reserved throughout the world. Wire'ess to New York Times.)

NEWS FROM BYRD

VALUE OF AEROPLANES

(Recoiled this day at 8.30. a.m.) BAY OF WHALES, April 14. The airplane has proved valuable in Antarctic flying under the most severe conditions. The cold is far below zero through snow squalls over a surface obscured by drift and surrounded by undefined horizon. The motors have shown no mechanical failures. The landing gear has stood up on the fields that are so rough that at home no pilot would dream of taking off with a load. 'The most important lesson learned is that airplanes for use in this country of violent winds should have folded wings. “J judge sixty ''<>:• cent of our flying is done by 1 instruments, because it has been impossible to distinguish the surface or the horizon at tames during the flights,” said Byrd, adding that the results have so Far exceeded our expectations and I am more than ever convinced that in a region so inaccessible as Antarctica, the airplane is the logical method for exploration, except where local conditions make it prohibitive. Wo have flown over thousands of square miles of territory never before seen. We have surveyed and mapped it and landed on, it for closer geological examination and to fix its position. It is true we have lost one airplane, but we were pioneering and T believe from the experience gained that such losses can l>o avoided by future explorers, so I think the record oi this preliminary work speaks wed for the use of the airplane in exploration and points the way to even a greater record to lie written in not only by us. but also by those who will come after us. ‘‘During a photographic flight at ten thousand feet.” added E> rd. “with temepraturcs thirty-eight be low, the engines began back-firing and missing, due to lack of heat in the oil system. 'fho oil temporal tiro normally is 190 to 100 Fahrenheit hut on this occasion fell to 100.” Lagging two more oil lines, brought it up to 110 and there was no further trouble. -It is believed it will eventually be possible to enclose tbe entire air-cooled engine in a cowling so that the flow of air may be regulated and an even temperature maintained at all times. Such a cowling would he ideal for Antarctic flying. '[’lie starting of the engine presents many difficulties, but with blow torches and hot oil we are able to do it in forty-five minutes. We frequently 'found alter a storm that tint 1 snow drifted in through the tiny openings of the canvas until every space between the cylinders, rods, and even inside the cowling is packed with hard snow. The valve box covers are tilled with: paste snow and congealed oil and tjiej entire engine is so stiff that a man can throw his weight against the propeller without budging it. This looks rather hopeless till the heater is put under the engine and it is melted out. Even if tin' engine could he turned over, carburet)ion in the cold engine at thirty below is impossible, but with fireproof canvas above and blow torches underneath, even in the coldest weather with high winds it is possible to beat] tin' motor to a temperature of 1-0 in I ■fort\-Jive minutes.”

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HOG19290416.2.53

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1929, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
576

IN ANTARCTICA Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1929, Page 6

IN ANTARCTICA Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1929, Page 6

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