AIR DISASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1919, Page 5

AIR DISASTER.

MANY MACHINES LOST. 'BETWEEN'ENGLAND AND EGYPT., ELEVEN PILOTS KILLED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Oct. 29, 2 a.m. London, Oct. 25. The Air Ministry has appointed a Commission to inquire into the deaths of airmen which occurred on the England to Egypt air route. Colonel G. L. Henderson, of the Air Force, says that pilots employed on the route egged him to disclose the position. He says after the armistice the Air Ministry decided to open world-wide routes, making Egypt one of the most important air junctions. Three HandleyPage squadrons were ordered to proceed thither, and barely thirty per cent, reached their destination.

At least eleven pilots were killed. Colonel Henderson aays this was no fault of the men, and there was no inherent defeot in the machines, but organisation was practically non-existent. The conditions beyond Marseilles were simply appalling. Two hundred and fifty miles of sea flight was commercially Impracticable. No buainess concern would attempt to convey machines to Egypt by air. Colonel Henderson saw Handley-Page wreclw.gß between Marseilles and Nice. The losses in machines alone was £IIO,OOO.

In Bome cases the pilots were to blamefor not replacing perished rubber connections and other defective parts. There was also lack of expert mechanicat assistance en route.

It should be ascertained whether any of these machines were included among those notoriously left exposed to the weather at the Hendon Aerodrome.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.