SAFETY OF AIRCRAFT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1938, Page 5

SAFETY OF AIRCRAFT

PROPOSED AUSTRALIAN ORGANISATION TO BE SECOND TO NONE I,N THE WORLD. STATEMENT AT KYEEMA INQUIRY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. MELBOURNE, November 4. Australia’s proposed organisation for aircraft safety is to be second to none in the world, according to evidence given by Squadron-Leader C. S. Wiggins, radio expert on the' Civil Aviation Board, at the Kyeema inquiry today. Work done in the last 18 months, he said, was more than that undertaken in any other country at any time. Delays in the operation of the Lorenz radio beacon had been made in the interests of maximum safety and to obtain the best possible system. He considered that the Lorenz beacon was the best type at present, but only two were available in Australia, and it would take months before more could be obtained. In the meantime, he was sure that they would have suitable receivers developed by Amalgamated Wireless.

Squadron-Leader Wiggins said that the Essendon beacon would be operating within a fortnight. The actual cost of seven beacons now installed was £60.000 to £70,000. He denied that a plane had been specially obtained from Adelaide for tests because of the disaster. Negotiations had been made before then.

The inquiry was adjourned till Monday.