AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1931, Page 5

AVIATION

N.Z. AIR MAIL. [United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] WELLINGTON, May 6. Arriving in Wellington yesterday, a shoal oi letters bearing the blue air mail label and the words "KnglandAustralian Air Mail,’’ brought with them the realisation that aviation is obliterating distance. Owing chiefly to the fact that this was an experimental service over ground totally unfamiliar to the pilots, the mishap and delay at Koopank. and the shipping connections, the air mail only equalled the. time via the San Francisco route, although there might have been a saving of time on letters posted along the air route. AIR MAIL. (Received this dav at 9 a.m.) RANGOON. May 6. The air mail to Australia has arrived. AIR FORCEi COLLISION. (Received t'ds rlnv 9. n n. > •' LONDON, May 6. Two Royal Air Force Siskin fighters collided head on. at Aldershot. The engine of one became detached and was hurtled to earth. Both pilots parachuted safely. They lit cigarettes, congratulated each other on their escapes, and inspected the wreckage of the machines, one is blasting. AIRMEN ESCAPE,

(Received this dav at 1 0 p.m.) LONDON, May 6. Simultaneously with Hie aerial collision at- Aldershot,’ there was a second smash at Banbury. Two Bristol Bulldogs, flying at an altitude) pf 13,500 feet crashed and were .completely destroyed, the pilots also parachuting to safety. ; They suffered only strains and bruises'. Thus far parachutes have saved the- lives of sixtv-six airforcemen in five years.

BRITISH SEARCH PLANE. FORCED DOWN. COPENHAGAN, May 6. A correspondent, telegraphs to the "News-Chronicle” that; the .British Arctic Air Expedition’s P.W-N. Moth plane was .forced, down at Angmagsalik, after ; . a .flight ,of seventy miles over the infield, .without seeing anything of Courtauld, or of the Watkins party which ( set out to rescue Courta'uld. . BATAVIA-AUSTRALIA AIR MAIL. (Received 10.20 a.m.) - CANBERRA, May 7. The Postmaster General, Mr ttreen, announced the Dutch experimental air mail flight between Batavia and Art'sralia will begin on 11 May.

HINKLER’S MOVEMENTS. (Received' this day at l.f) p.m.) NEW YORK. May 6. A message from Providence, Rhode Island, states: Hinkler arrived at Pawtucket this afternoon from Buffalo ■■■ 1 . NEW YORK, May 6. A Buffalo message- states Hinkler denied reports that he is en route to Buenos ■' Ayres' and AfHca. “'You see whenever I take a ’plane off the ground they get an idea that I must be going somewhere. If I haven’t decided where I’m going, they decide it for me. I’m not jn a position at this time to make any statement about my plans” ' ■