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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 1371.PDF
DECEMBER 27, 1934. FLIGHT. 1375 AUSTRALIA NEARER winner in this Special Article for " Flight §0/ Air Transport between England and Lessons Which the Race Taught To allow for these night stops on long-distance routes (and in case anyone thinks I am poking fun at them, I hasten to say I thoroughly agree with the idea) aero- plane cruising speeds should be a little greater. Is this a fair plaint? Am I echoing popular and public opinion ? Given higher cruising speeds, the aeroplanes could well be allowed their rests on the ground. Under present conditions, with the modest cruising speeds prevailing, real success in long-distance mail operation would have to depend on a flying schedule that takes in the whole twenty-two hours of the day (going eastward) or the whole twenty-six hours (coming westward). Of course, I am in the happy position of claiming that in the Melbourne Race we flew continuously through the night and day. In extenuation of such bravery one must in all fairness point out (otherwise it would be pointed out for me) that the race was flown in between the monsoons; that the weather generally was good at that time of year; that at other times of the year there is very bad weather along the route; and that the aero- dromes are sometimes in very bad condition. But, of course, we carried no wireless, and the route, after all these years, is still far from perfect. Actually, too; we did have some very bad weather at times, as our friends from Holland will testify. How, then, can this route be speeded up? For a speeding-up is essential if we are to maintain an aircraft prestige CWA.ScOTT ET O IAD TOm MILOENHAL teR 10-22 am.Sun 9 UR.MA_ ^ \ Route, landing place s and times(G.M.T.) of Scott's machine. The average speed was 159m.p.h. Inclusive of stops. against the shipping companies, who might suddenly take it into their heads to operate thirty-knot steamships that would do their journey to Australia in fourteen or so days? The obvious retort, of course, is "By higher cruising speeds in the aeroplanes too." If our aircraft speeds could suddenly be accelerated by one hundred per cent., the pilots and machines could still get their rest and the schedule could be cut by half. But to reduce the schedule under the existing con- ditions of aircraft, the route must be improved ; not geo- graphically, of course, for we have not yet altered the face of the earth to this extent, but by the installation of radio beacons, meteorological services, runways on the aerodromes, and so forth. This will cost, as an initial figure, and not, of course, counting maintenance, somewhere in the region of a quarter to half a million pounds. That is the other side of the equation. If faster aero- planes were to be used, perhaps the route would not have to be so drastically improved at such a price—one that civil aviation can scarcely stand. But—even if the route were so drastically altered, would the same aeroplanes operate at very much quicker schedules? I doubt it. It appears to me, therefore, that a compromise is necessary—a combination of an improved route and faster aeroplanes is essential before the Australian route can be speeded-up. In other words, the onus of such speeding-up must be borne jointly between the operating companies themselves (with the purchase of higher- speed aircraft) and civil aviation organisers in theii capacity of route caretakers. With regard to the technical aspects of future services between England and Australia, the race has, to my mind, proved that con- trollable-pitch airscrews axid retractable under- carriages are absolute necessities, while there is no question that pilots on such a service must be thoroughly capable of flying by their instru- ments ; we ourselves got the greatest help from the Sperry artificial horizon. I certainly think that before long we shall see the mail flown regularly in small, very fast aeroplanes, while passengers are carried in somewhat slower, but very much larger and more comfortable machines. I do not think that there is a likelihood of freight services proving successful, as the main exports from Australia are wheat, wool, butter and meat, all Australia are bulky commodities. I know the Australian people rather well, and possibly understand better than many people here in England what the aeroplane can do for Australia. Moreover, the Australian people themselves realise that their isolation from the Mother Country can be reduced almost to zero by the use of high-speed commercial aeroplanes:
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