Navigation

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 456, 11 September 1928, Page 9

Navigation

Importance to Airmen PACIFIC FLYERS’ STUDIES Navigation is the science that counts for so much when the land is far astern and the long-flight an plane has embarked on its 3ourney. The navigator holds the lives of his companions in his hands, for he is the “eyes” of the machine. When Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieutenants Ulm and Anderson were travelling from Sydney to San Francisco before their great flight, the earnestness with which they endeavoured to gain a knowledge of navigation impressed everyone. Realising the vital importance of such knowledge on their proposed attempt to cross the Pacific, the airmen snent the best part of their time on the trip studying hard. “Captain B. M. Aldwell was very kind to them,” said a fellow passenger. “He gave them the free run of the bridge, and the second officer, Mr. Todd, who was the navigator, took them’ in hand, teaching them the use of the sextant. With these instruments they learned some of the ‘rudiments of ‘shooting’ the sun. Afterwards they would go down in the chart room, with books of logarithms, to try and work out the course of me ship for themselves. “In spite of their efforts, however, they realised that they could not possibly learn enough in the time, and that it would be suicidal to rely on their hastily-gained and unpractised knowledge. “They very wisely secured the services of the best navigator they could find, and events proved the wisdom of their choice of Mr. Lyon. “It is 'probably true that lack of navigating knowledge resulted in the unfortunate New Zealand flyers getting far out of their course on their fatal trip.