The R 101

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 222, 21 October 1929, Page 7

The R 101

(British Official Wireless).

MINISTER'S ENTHUSIASM Airship Returns To Mast At Midnight THE TRIP TO INDIA.

(Received This Day, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 19. Lord Thomson, the _Air Minister, was extremely enthusiastic about lus long flight in the R10I yesterday. The airship did not return to Oardingtou until after midnight, and when she had been located home on the mast Lord Thomson, iu an interview, described the flight as one of the most pleasant experieiices he had ever had., He had not been so comfortable m any ocean or river vessel, and the sense pf rcstfuluess and comfort was superb. The heat had been turned 011 and he did a normal day's work and eiqoyed his meals in the special quartevs._ He emphasised that the present flights were experimental. As to the suggestion that airships require elaborate landing facilities, Lord Thomson pointed out that a suitable mooring mast and equipment could be put any where for £60,0(X), and that ocean liners could not be employed with out expensive harbours all over the world. Lord Thomson said tliat he hoped to start at the end of the year for Inclia, but lie now finds that tlie spave engines will not he ready in time for shipment to, the overseas base._ He explained that as a wliole the policy of the airship programme was safety first. As long as he was iii eharge 110 pressuve would be put on the technical staff to un--dertake any. flight until they were ready and satisfied that all was in order. The technical report qf yesterday' s flight was enfirely satisfactory.