IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1919, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

TRIALS OF AVIATORS. FLIGHT OF THE NC3 MEN, London, May 27. Commander Linslcy, of the NC3, has arrived in London. He states that the NC3 mistook an American wardiip for one of the destroyers marking the course. The navigator planed down to verify his position, and, owing to the clouds, made a premature landing. The waves were 30 feet high, owing to the wind blowing a gale, aiul made it impossible for the seaplane to rise again. Therefore he taxied to the Azores as reported. Received June 8, 11.5 p.m.

New York, May 29. The World's Lisbon correspondent interviewed Commander Towers, of the United States Transatlantic flight expedition. He said, regarding the flight from Trepassey to Pona del Garda: "I found it dangerous to test the effect of the continuous mental and physical f.train. Drowsiness was almost insuperable I was compelled to give one of my men two doses of strychnine in order to avoid sleep My plane (NC3) became lost when we had about two hours' supply of petrol left, and we determined to land on the water, but when we descended near the surface we saw that the sea was very rough, but it was then too late, and we were compelled to alight on a big wave, and the plane was seriously damaged, though subsequently we were able to continue with our own power on the surface of the sea to Horta. We had no drinking water and were compelled to drink the water from the radiators. This water was full of iron rust and oil.

At last the weather grew bad, and a storm camp down. Huge rollers continued to hit the plane, and broke off the pontoon wings and pierced the fuselage. Night descended and the cockpit began to leak. I stationed two watches, and each man pumped several hours. We rigged a sea anchor, and continued to fight the storm through the night. We continued to send out wireless messages, and when the morning came and the destroyer Harding arrived to our rescue we were very hungrj', and were unanimous that bacon and eggs was the best dish in the World."—Aus. a;nd N.Z. Cable Assoc.

FROM AMERICA TO FRANCE. Received June 8, 11.5 p.m. New York, May 29. Raymond Orteig, a Frenchman, has announced that he will offer a 25,000 dollars prize to the first man to make a non-stop aeroplane flight between New York and Paris or vice versa. The aviators must be a subject of one of the Allied nations. The Aero Club of America will anounce the conditions of the flight.

A SPECIALLY BUILT MACHINE. Received June 8, 11.5 p.m. New York, May 20. The New York Times' St. Johns' correspondent says that Lieut. Williams, of the British Army, has arrived from Liverpool to make arrangements for the arrival of the Alliance Aeroplane Company's biplane, which will also attempt the Transatlantic flight. The biplane has been specially built for the Atlantic journey, and is equipped with a single 450-horse power Napier-Lion engine, having a speed of ISO miles an hour, and carrying sufficient petrol for a cruising radius of 28 hours. Captain Curtissof the Royal Air Force, will be chief pilot and Peters the navigator. The biplane will make a trial flight from England to Madrid, coming from Spain by s.teamer and arriving about June 6.

LESSON'S FROM HAWKER'S TRIP. London, May 27. Aviators and experts.' express admiration of Grieve's navigation. He kept dead on the course to the end. The detailed report is eagerly awaited, especially the use of smoke bombs to measure the drift and the use of wireless messages from patsing vessels,—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

Received June 9, 1.25 a.m London, May 29 Hawker's aeroplane, which has arrived at -Falmouth, was kept afloat by the petrol tanks, and the mail bags were saved The wrecked machine will probably be given to the Museum Hawker ■believes that an examination of the engines will give valuable information.

A DISASTROUS TRIAL. London, May 27. The Tarrant triplane was designed to bomb Berlin and could have carried out an attack lasting two hours and dropped sixteen 550 pound bombs. The aeroplane weighed 40,000, and was capable of carrying 100 people. When the crew of a dozen had taken their placet', the six Napier-Lion engines of 550 horse-power each were turned on, but the mammoth craft failed to rise, and instead nose-dived into the earth, the tail shot into the air and the body buckled up.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A LADY ASPIRANT. Received June 8, 5,5 p.m. New York, June 6. The New York Times' Chicago .correspondent states that Ruth Law', the famous aviatrix, has announced that she will attempt the trans-Atlantic flight in a Curtdss biplane, equipped with two Curtiss-Kirkham motors of 4-00 horsepower each. She will be accompanied by a mechanic—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

RAYNHAM'S EFFORT. Received June 8, 5.5 p.m. New York, May 27. The New York Times' St. John's correspondent reports that Raynham expects to receive shortly from England an extra engine and the necessary part 9 with which to repair his Martynsidc. He believes the .plane will he ready for a trial flight within a fortnight.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

THE KANGAROO'S PILOTS. Received June 8, 3.5 p.m. London, June 6. The Kangaroo's pilots do not regaid the flight to Australia as hazardous. They admit the possibility of delays in the event of being forced to land in remote parts. The wheels have been .fitted with large covers to enable landing to he made on sands and in swamps.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

RECORD OF NCf. New York, May 28. The New York Times' Washington correspondent says the United States seaplane NC4 covered 3150 miles, the actual living time being 43 hours 33 minutes. During the trip from Rockaway to Lisbon the average Bpeed was T2 males per hour,—Au«. NJZ. Cable Asioa.