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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0682.PDF
SEPTEMBER 16, 1926 PRAGUE—PARIS-PRAGUE ON AN AVIA LIGHT 'PLANE \ VERY fine flight on a light plane was recently accom- plished by the well-known Czecho-Slovakian pilot, Lieut. Jira. Leaving the Prague aerodrome at 4.50 a.m. on August 31 he Sew in the direction of Paris, and at 11.20 a.m. he passed over the Le Bourget aerodrome, having covered the 950 km. (590 miles) without landing. He did not stop at Le Bourget, tion of the B.H. 11, which obtained first place in the recent Concours d'Avions Economiques at Orly. When it left Prague, L-BONG carried 250 kg. (551 -25 lb.) of petrol and 19 kg. (41 -9 lb.) of oil, of which 205 kg. (452 lb.) of petrol and 6-8 kg. (15 lb.) of oil were consumed during the flight. The total weight of the machine, ready for flying, PRAGUE-PARIS-PRAGUE IN A LIGHT 'PLANE : Lieut. Jira, the well-known Czecho-Slovakian pilot, and the Avia B.H.9 (60 h.p. Walter engine), on which he flew from Prague to Paris and back non-stop on August 31—a distance of 1,180 miles in 13 hrs. 43 mins. but immediately turned homeward, and flew non-stop back to Prague, where he arrived at 6.33 p.m. The total distance of about 1,900 km. (1,180 miles) was thus covered in 13 hours 43 minutes in a non-stop flight. The machine used on this flight was the Avia B.H. 9 (L-BONG), a low-wing monoplane fitted with a 60-h.p. Walter air-cooled radial engine. This machine is used in the Czecho-Slovakian Army Air Service as a two-seater school 'bus, and is a modifica- was 750 kg. (1,653-75 lb.), so that the loading figured out at 53 kg. per sq. m. (10-8 lb. per sq. ft.) and 12-5 kg. (27-5 lb.) per h.p. Nevertheless, the machine took off quite easily and climbed satisfactorily. This latest accomplishment of the Avia B.H. 9 is something of a record for light planes as regards distance, average speed and low-consumption figures, and forms an excellent demon- stration of the remarkable efficiency of these little machines. ALAN COBHAM'S FLIGHT HOME FORTUNE has not favoured Mr. Alan Cobham during the past week, and his hopes of making a speedy and record dash home from Australia have been, to a certain extent, marred. Mr. Cobham, with Sergt. Ward and Mr. Capel, left Penang in the D.H. 50J. (Siddeley " Jaguar ") seaplane, at daybreak on September 8 en route for Rangoon. The day came to a close, however, without any further news of him, some anxiety being caused at Rangoon by his non-arrival. The following morning, however, the Port Officer at Rangoon received a telegram to the effect that Mr. Cobham had been forced down by bad weather at Puket—a small island town, 160 miles from Victoria Point. Mr. Cobham was expected to reach Rangoon that afternoon, but he did not turn up, and on September 10 a message was received from Penang, stating that he was still held up by bad weather at Victoria Point. Then four days passed without any further news of the airmen, and keen anxiety was felt as to their safety. There is no telegraphic communication between Rangoon and Victoria Point, and vessels passing along this part of the coast reported very bad weather conditions in the vicinity of Victoria Point. Eventually, the Burma Government made every possible effort to get into touch with Mr. Cobham, or obtain news of his whereabouts, but without success. At last, on September 14, a message was received from Mergui—about midway between Victoria Point and Rangoon —that Mr. Cobham had passed over this port en route for Rangoon. At the time of writing, no further details are available, so we must leave Mr. Cobham's adventures for next week's issue of FLIGHT. Considerable satisfaction will, however, be felt by all at the news of the three airmen's safety. We are asked to announce that the Institute of Aeronautical Engineers propose to give a dinner in honour of Mr. Cobham and his companions, upon the completion of his Australian flight. This function, it is hoped, will be held on September 30, at Kettner's Restaurant, Church Street, London, W. (just behind the Palace Theatre), at 8 p.m., at which Lieut-Col. J. T. C. Moore-Brabazon, M.C., M.P., will preside. Non-members may obtain tickets for this dinner (15s., exclusive of wines) from the Secretary, Institute Aeronautical Engineers, 34, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.I, from whom all further particulars may also be obtained. 606
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