ABOUT FLYING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17690, 30 July 1919, Page 8

ABOUT FLYING

PROSPECTS IN NEW ZEALAND. AIR ADVISER'S REMARKS. " You have a lot of wind and a lot of mountains, neither of which lend themselves to flying, but .the difficulties are not insurmountable," said Lieutenant-colonel Bettingtou in Wellington on l<'riday. Ho had previously told the officers of tho Garrison Institute that he could not say much regarding the prospects of flying in New Zealand. lie was a Government servant at present, and he had a report to prepare for the Government. " Tlio wind is severe in New Zealand," added the Air Adviser, "but you can fly in any wind ypu like. It does not necessarily follow that you will make a great deal of progress. An aeroplane may go backwards in a strong wind. liut the aeroplane can go up in any wind, just as a ship can brave any sea. There are days on which airmen do not fly, but that is simply a question of expediency." Colonel Bcttington expressed a strong opinion that aeroplanes had become an essential military weapon. They would play a much larger part in a future war than they had done in the recent war. Aeroplanes had to bo fought with aeroplanes, and no army could afford to negicct thorn. Airships had their place in military work, but they hud the drawback of groat vulnerability. The gas that gave their lifting power could be reached with an incendiary bullet. It was tho incendiary bullet that had knocked out the Zeppelin. "Commercially, the airships are a great preposition," said tho Air Adviser. "You probably will find that most oi the- trans-oc-oan work will be dono by airships. It is likely that >*ommunication between New Zealand and Australia will be established by airships, which will make tho trip with as much regularity as steamers, \ind with much greater speed."