EVERYONE WILL FLY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1967, 22 April 1919, Page 4

EVERYONE WILL FLY.

AIR CARS AND OMNIBUSES

What is to lie the future of flying? There ore indications that aviation will gradually become quite an ordinary part of civilian life. Mr 1. 0. M. Sopwilh, whose biplanes, played an import an 1 part in the war, has stated in an interview printed in the Illustrated Sunday Herald (London) his views on probable developments.

“It is easy to prophesy, and very easy to indulge in hot air,’’ said M> Sopwilh. “Mv views are the re>ult of experience, step by step, and I can tell you only of what is practicable ami reasonable. There is so much wild talk, but still wonderful things will he accomplished coming about as naturally as the various developments (hat have already taken place.

“Flying is now very safe. If you take into consideration the number of miles or number of hours Down, and eliminate any smashes due to war risks or to stunting, you will find (hat your crashes arc almost; infinitesimal. The lirst real thing that is coming in peace will he the demand for the private machine. This is in (he realm of immediate practical politics. There will no doubt he wonderful long-distance. Hying and all kinds of stunts, but what about the thousands of pilots trained for the war and the thousands of others who will rush for machines of their own as soon as living restrictions are suspended and all regulations established. Yon see, we can do Baris in two and alialf hours in decent weather. Then, why not do it? Men who drove sporting ears will want sporting planes.' There will he a considerable demand immediately after pence is declared for machines easy to fly. “We are starting by adapting the Tup,’ which did so much pioneer work in lighting, into a two-seater for peace purposes. Instead of the pilot taking gun and ammunition, Incan take a passenger. It is a very light machine, easy to liy, will not occupy 100 much space, and will Hy 105 miles an hour at 10,000 ft., its landing speed being about 35 miles. You can land anywhere with Ihe machine —in a very small held. 1 it'd confident that the sporting motorist will make this his next stage. I can not say what the price will be, but less limn a high-class car; 1 think it will he under £I.OOO. It is not only at home that the demand will he felt. All over the world there will he an outbreak of private Hying, and a machine like the one 1 have indicated will iml be beyond Ibe means of the motorist.

“The young man of fashion will think nothing of pushing over to Paris for dejeuner and getting baek lo dinner. Young pilots are not going hark to the train or motor ear

again. Then almost simultaneously will arise ihe need for a higher machine to carry pilot, passenger and luggage —the business man’s machine. Tie will require a longer range of llighl'and more comfort. Such a machine is also under construction. Then will come the demand for machines for varied work, such, for example, as exploration. An adaptation of the machine I have been speaking about is already being made, it will be an amphibian, it will do work where you have a lot of water intervening.” Solent aerial “yachting” was suggested. “I am thinking particularly of bigger work,” said Mr Sopwith — “over big lake country —up and down Ihe Amazon, for example. A type of machine that can be used by lores) lire watchers, river patrols, and for exploration. I am not unmindful of bigger demands still. They can be satisfied. The passenger 'bus, and so on. As a proof, come and look at this.” Mr Sop,with showed a monster tri-plane, twin-engined, gigantic but graceful in her linos, elegant. This machine was under construction as a bomber. “It is designed now to carry about half a dozen passengers. They will be enclosed in a comfortable cabin. There they can play cards, have lunch, look through the portholes at the landscapes or sea below, and have the pleasantest of journeys.”

As everybody knows, the competition and development in flying during the war have been tilings of wonder to the whole world. It is the sum of the experience gained Inall these that will he the basis of Hying to-morrow. It will not be fancy speculation, Mr Sop wit h holds.