Wit
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1937.
AVIATION
Weather Services On The
India. Route
Many questions affecting civil
To Handle Flying-Boats
Air Photographs
Of North America's
Highest Mountain
In a series of flights from the aerodrome at Fairbanks, an air
obtaining magnificent close-up photographs of Mount McKinley, North America's highest mountain, which towers to a height of 20,300 fest. Both still and motion ple- tutes were secured,
air transport are dealt with in the How Land-Plane Pilots Learn expedition has just succeeded in report of the Meteorological De- partment of India for 1935-36. In air- discussing the new Empire mail scheme, the report states: At important stations along the route it will probably be necessary to maintain a service throughout the 24 hours and at intermediate stations every 15 hours or more '
The adoption of regular night flying under the new scheme will, It is explained, involve sending up illuminated balloons for the mea- .surement of upper winds at night. and also the use of searchlights for determining cloud heights, There will also be special arrange- ments for the measurement of visibility at night; while extra staff will have to be provided for night duty."
- Attention is drawn to the growth of international co-operation be- tween meteorologists, particularly in developing an improved tech- nique for upper-air explorations. The hope is expressed that, as funds permit. Intensive upper-air Burveys will become possible in India, and that in general there will be an increased activity in regard to upper-air researches.
to
Pilots of long experience with who are now at land-planes, Hamble, on Southampton Water, undergoing a period of training in the handling of flying-boats, ken the
process to
'going buck school again,"
Their first stage at Hamble con slats in salling dinghys or cutte's, and this part of the course is undertaken because manoeuvring a flying-boat on the water is very much ifke handling a Salling-boat Among the things they learn. daring this phase, is the employ ment of drogues to act as a form of brake when a craft is approach- ing a mooring-buoy or raft.
After this comes a period of Instruction in flying-boats. First of alt a small flying-boat is used. In this the pilots practice taking- off and landing on smooth or rough water. They also accustom themselves to such things as the lights employed in sea navigation, and the different types of buoys. Then comes a further course in bigger flying-boats of a
MOTOR
"HALT: MAJOR
ROAD AHEAD”
Where Should The Car Be Stopped?
ļ
WINDSCREENS AND THE NEW RULES
multi-
In a single exposure, by the use of intra-red photography, it was found possible to show not only the white summits of Mount Me
but also neighbouring Kinley. peaks more than 100 miles away.
The steeply-aloping western face been of Mount McKinley has called the world's highest cliff-an almost sheer drop of over three miles. When fiving 500 feet above the mountain, the the top of aerial photographers encountered many violent air eddles,
motored
are
alsu
Pilota type. given an opportunity of studying the actual construction, at Roches- ter, Kent, of the new 'Canopus' or O class flying-boats of which they wil in due course form the crews while these great machines are en route between England and various destinations throughout the Empire.
JOTTINGS
Motor. Notes From Great Britain
ABOUT ROAD SURFACES A number of encouraging points stand out from the report on the inquiry into the problem of slip- pery roads held jointly by the Bri- tish
Ministry of Transport and
the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. In the Arst place the tests of different sur- races have shown that the pro- blem of eliminating the skid, so rar as fast and heavy traffic 18 concerned, is by no means insup Prable. At least two types of road surface were tested which will re- main safe over a period of 5 years without involving maintenance costs, while several which de- teriorate rapidly or are inherent- ly dangerous are described in the
BY OLIVER STEWART Every new set of regulations brings with it its own problems of interpretation. One of the most vigorously disputed signs has been the halt, Major Road Ahead" sign, but it has now been settled In the Courts that a driver must stop and not just slow down. still remains "In doubt where he must stop. but in some instances a line is marked on the road and this presumably defines the place.report.
It
steel body of 3 tons capacity, and the various municipal authorities scheme have interested in the also ordered some 18 vehicles of the same, type.
SOUTHAMPTON AS THE WORLD OF WINGS
EMPIRE'S CHIEF AIR PORT
BIG FLYING CHANGES
A complete Empire air service basea on Southampton, with all rall links eliminated, is to begin much sooner than was expected.
Within the next few months, the Post" learns. all the "Morning Imperial Airways Empire services will fly direct to and from the new" Southampton airport. Passengers will no longer have to make over- land journey,
A considerable shortening of the train journey from Paris to Mar- to Brindisi seilles, instead of
when the fying began recently
first bunt Castor operated the service out of Marseilles.
The next step. which will be taken shortly, will base the inward air service from India, and the out- ward services to Africa also on Marseilles.
Air Notes And News From All Quarters
A large amount of air photo graphy and map-making is being carried out for the Soll Conserva- tion Service of the United States
of Department Agriculture. A great deal of flying is now being accomplished at altitudes rang- ing from 22,500 to 25,000 feet and it is necessary to supply the crews of the photographic planes with oxygen-breathing apparatus.
It has just been calculated that during the next three years more than 400,000 passengers will be flying in and out of Moscow by the varions air routes. At the big new
now in con- Moscow aérodrome struction, gigantic air fates are, to be held, and provision is to be made for 500,000 spectatora,
Nine alr-captains of Qantas Em- pire Airways--the company which, in association with Imperial Älr- ways. operates the Singapore- Erisbane sections of the England- Austrália route-have among them now flown approximately 5,000,000 miles.
But even the shorter train Journey from Paris to Marseilles,
There are now 14.805 - licensed instead of Brindisi, is only a tem- porary expedient. It is intended aeroplane pilots in the United
them are that all the Empire flying boat States. Among
7,188 brought back transport pilots, and 410 women services shall be section by section to Southampton, pliots. The air-lines of the United during the next few months. States how employ nearly 200 Southampton, instead of Croydon. women air-hostesses. will then become the Imperial Air- ways Empire terminus.
NEW FLYING BOATS
The shorter railway journey inaugurated this week does not at present, affect the time-table of the England-India route. An Imperial Airways official explained
Ocean Airway Proves Ot
Value To Science
The newly-created ocean alr. bases of the Pan-American Pacifc service are providing
museumna
to a "Morning Post" representative with interesting "specimens for recently that It is not thought study and display. From the desirable to speed-up the service station on Wake Island live before all pilots and crews have 'Addier' crabs are now being flown become thoroughly accustomed to to Honolulu, where they are placed handling the new and heavy flying:
on exhibition in the Museum. boats. Therefore, they are for the
These 'fiddler' crabs are not to be time being. flying only during the found in Hawaiian waters; hence. day with an ample safety margin, the need for them to be carried Time-saving on the England- for 3,000 miles in 'Clipper' flying- OUSTING THE TRAM
India route depends on the es- boats. The crabs are sent When operating in the city of tablishment of an adequate ground special containers with a little Oslo, Norway, during peak, bours, organisation, with wireless beam moist seaweed and sea water.·' the new big buses, which accom-stations and meteorological ser- The midway island air-halt fles modate 70 passengera, sitting and
in the Hawaiian Bird. Reservation, standing, carry a crew of one
and when the Museum of the driver and two conductors. Even
University of California wants so it is said that loading can be
specimens to study, a request is accomplished in half the time re-
transmitted to the airway staff on quired by other vehicles.
Midway, and they collect what is requirede consigning the specimens by air-liner.
vices to ensure safe night dying. Negotiations are being carried on by the Government with the various countries- concerned.
Glasgow And
The Coronation
Ultimately, It is hoped to shorten the time-table of the India ser- The new buses are AEC. vice from five days to two days Renown" 6-wheelers fitted with | and-a-half. 8.8-utre oil
enable engines to them to climb the steep hills of the locality without difficulty. Commenting on the new services. It was argued for some time Thus, it should now be possible the "Norsk Motorblad" expressed that the meaning of "Halt" was to to know what type of surface to the opinion that if Oslo continued go naltingly, or slowly; but on the use and what to avoid, and these to grow at the same rate the only other side it was said that the results will undoubtedly prove way to avoid traffic congestion meaning was "stop." But if the valuable to highway, authorities. would be to abolish the tramway meaning is "stop." as the Courts whose work is so closely identi-system altogether. now hold, there is no release and fled with the question of safety. the vehicle would theoretically have to rernain' stationary for an indefinite period. It is to be re- membered that the "Stop" which appears on signal lights gives place, after the proper time inter- val to the green light.
In practice it seems clear that motorists are required to inter- pret the "Halt. "Major Road Ahead" sign by stopping at the line, if there is one, or at the
point where the extreme front of the car just projects into the major road. After a pause, during which he may scan the traffic up- proaching from both sides, the driver can continue.
WINDSCREENS
The South
proposing to spend over 230,000
The Corporation of Glasgow is,
during the Coronation celebrations When buses replaced trans in in entertainments to school chil A FIVE YEAR PLAN
Wigan in 1931 they took over a dron, the sick, the aged in in- National Road Board of legacy in the form of a debt of 'stitutions, and in extra relief to Africa bas embarked on £115,000. Since then the Car- the poor. Thero is not likely to road construction on a vast scale poration has bought 72 Leyland be any complaint about these poo In order to meet the requirements buses and. In addition to paying ple enjoying the occasion as well of modern transport. The new of the old debt. £81.000 will have plan entails the completion by been repaid on the purchase of 1941 of 3.000 miles with a 30-rt. the new fleet next March, wide non-skid surface.
RECRUITS FOR THE ARMY
Shortage of Engineers"
Under the present Recruiting
na cthers. But what is to be done | Regulations. It is possible for for those who are not children, man to enlist in the Army any sick, aged, or in receipt of poor re- lief Nothing at all so far as the time after attaling the age of
During a recent week Overseas Corporation is concerned. The 18. provided that, in the case of Such a huge undertaking in it- orders for Leyland vehicles were Corporation is quite willing that a Atter, he gives proof of having self calls for the employment of received from Canada, South shopkeepers and others should pay served three years in an engineer-
the docoration" of public specialised vehicles, and a fleet of Affica, Australia, South America for Thornycroft tippers has been and the Near East; of these near-streeta But it is surely one of tng workshop. This means of specified. Each of these incor-ly half are to be fitted with direct- the functions of public bodies to ecurse, that most men who enlist porates an Anthony-holst all- i injection oll engines.
do this sort of thing, just as it is as engineering tradesmen have for them to sweep the streets. No-
pot completed their apprentice- body desires lavish expenditure on street decoration, but ratepayers ship. When, on completing their do want the city to have some ap period of Colour service, they re- pearance of gaiety on a grent
turn to civil life these men are which is of national, occasion
Ecotland, in the unfortunate position of not particular interest to and if ratepayers are willing to being eligible to join a trade moet the bill there is no reason
unlon, with the result that they why the Corporation should not
are dissatisfied, incur it.
into force in October. They will Hning than it used to be. For not enforce the using of anti-
it is probably true ordinary use dazzle devices, only the Btting of that its value was exaggerated.
them.
Against the rear-engine position there is the prejudice of many
REAR-ENGINED CARS
-New Scheme
A certain amount of confusion has also arisen about safety glass' windscreens. A regulation which has been made and · is now in A good deal of attention has people against sitting in the ex- force, calls for safety glass wind- been focused upon the patent treme nose of a car, or "close to screens on all vehicles. But this taken out by Mr. Henry Ford for the accident" as I heard it ex- regulation also appears in the new a rear-engined car. The engine is pressed. The objection that one Construction and Use draft re-mounted across the frame. Rear- cannot steer a car accurately when
As a natural result men are gulations which have not yet been engined cars have been tried again so little of it is in front is hardly walk on the left of the pavement, found to be unwilling to enlist
Auto-Union drivers approved, The duty of motor and again, and at various times valid. The
certain soon got into the knack, and air and so to face oncoming trame. It under these conditions and the car owners is clear, and it is to they have met with a ensure that their cars have safety amount of success. The Auto-pilots found no Insuperable dif- will be recalled that some years army is very short of engineering ако there was a campaign for tradesmen. In order to meet the glass windscreens. Without them Union is a rear-engined design, ficulty in Aying small pusher aero- they are breaking the law. Al- and it has proved one of the most planes in which there is even less persuading pedestrians to walk on situation the War Office will issue. most all makers of safety glass successful of all racing cara. At machine in front for "aiming" pur- the left. It was well conducted, carly this year, particulars of a yet if failed in its purpose. Some new scheme which, we understand, stamp or mark in some way their first, however, drivers were report- poses. products, so that there is normallyed to have found some difficulty Few people will doubt that, if people regarded it as a joke, others has been worked out, with the nu difficulty in finding out if safe- j in judging the car's course on Mr. Ford decides to place a rear- regarded it as a challenge, which co-operation of the Director of ty glass is fitted or not.
engined car on the market, it will they promptly met by walking Ordnance Factories, the railway Another thing which the new The rear position for the engine achieve a good deal of popularity: more sternly on the right than companies and many of the first draft regulations--as distinct from seems rational because it is then but it is much more difficult to ever, others ignored it altogether. class engineering arms of the Yet it is likely that if, with country. The concurrence has the earlier safety glass regulations possible to mount all the passenger determine whether it will influence
trafic
the
left; also been obtained of the Minister deal with, is the inspection and seats within the wheelbase, and the designs of other makers, Cer- testing by the police of brakes, because the chance of fumes tainly the adoption by Ford of a pedestrians could be persuaded to of Imperial Deferce. The scheme steering and silencers. The regu-reaching the passengers is re- good power-to-weight ratio has keep to the left on pavements, in- will only apply to men between lations dealing, among other duced. I do not think much im- beer extensively followed.
creased safety would result. There the ages of 21 and 25. who have apprenticeship, and things, with the "nitting of anti-portance attaches to the improved
PEDESTRIAN HABITS
would be less likelihood of people served an dazzle devices and with limiting streamlining which is possible, be- There is talk of another move-suddenly stepping out into the under it a recruit will be able to the power of side lamp bulbs come cause less store is set by stream- ment for inducing pedestrians to road in front of oncoming vehicles, during his period
corners.
keeping to
service.
SANDEMAN
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THE MILWAUKEE ROAD