Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1938. AGE OF AVIATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 53, 31 January 1938, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1938. AGE OF AVIATION.

Years before the war air-minded men were experimenting with aeroplanes. The late H. Hawker, the Victorian, was one of them. Even before the Great War lie had many records to his credit. Throughout the war he was employed in the hazardous task of testing machines ordered from the Sopwith Aviation Company by the British and Allied Governments. It was Hawker who made the first attempt to cross the Atlantic and very nearly succeeded. - Soon after the Great War, Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of £IO,OOO to the aviator of any nationality, not of enemy origin, with an aeroplane not of enemy make, who should first fly across the Atlantic in 72 hours. Hawker’s object was a dual one. Besides competing for the £IO,OOO prize, he wished to be the first aviator across the Atlantic, irrespective of any time limit, for it was known that the United States Government was busily organising a trans-Atlantic flight to be carried out with three seaplanes. The flight started from Newfoundland. The American Navy co-operated, cruisers and destroyers being stationed every fifty miles or so throughout the route. Very soon there were serious proposals of establishing a floating aerodrome in mid-Atlantic. The machines of that day were able to do only 85 miles per hour or perhaps a little more. Quite a number have in the past decade crossed the Tasman both ways, and the Imperial Airways flying boat Centaurus has done the trip in 10 hours. In the earlier history of aviation few thought flying would be so extensive as it is to-day. The scientist and the inventor have placed their services at the command of aviation, and the improvements effected since Hawker’s days have been marvellous. Flying now is regarded as safe as driving a motor-car on a prepared highway, if not safer. Relatively, it seems probable that there will be more accidents with motor vehicles than aircraft. Excessive speed in motor vehicles is undesirable and dangerous, but with aircraft it is very desirable, for the aim is to get between points in the least possible time. The current year should see aviation make greater strides than ever before. In the defence programmes of all nations, the aircraft takes a prominent place. Russia, Germany, Italy, and France number their machines by thousands. Britain has a fleet over one thousand strong, and

there is no slackening in the output. The United States is now in the race for a big air fleet, and all the smaller Powers have their ratio of aeroplanes. In all countries thousands of young men and even young women are constantly being trained for pilots’ certificates. International rivalry in aircraft construction must result in great improvements being made to ensure greater safety. When the defence demand eases off the great factories must turn to civil aviation, and it is easy to visualise a great increase in air travel. The younger generation must be air-minded if they wish to enjoy this new and quick method of travel.