Plans for a great civil airship service between Europe and South America are now complete. The designs for the airships have been laid down, the money has been found, the bases have been settled, and work has commenced.
The idea originated in Spain, and the European base will be situated at Seville, whilst the ships themselves will be constucted in Spain, under the supervision of engineers from the German Zeppelin works. British labour will also be.employed, and tenders have been submitted from British firms for the supply of gas, construction of sheds, and insurance of ships and personnel. In the matter of insurance British firms are responsible for the greater mumber of aircraft in Europe at the present time.
The four air liners with which the service will be started are to be 825 feet long and 110 feet wide, whilst the gas capacity of the envelopes will be 4,700,000 cubic feet. Nine engines, each of 400 h.p., will be fitted, though at no time will more than seven run at once, the others being held in reserve. A These will give a full speed of nearly 83.m.p.h., but normally the vessels will fly at about 68 m.p.h. A useful load of 74 tons will be carried, of which 15 tons will be commercial goods. The. range of the airships will be 7,500 miles.
Accommodation will be provided for 40 passengers in a car 108ft. long and 16ft. wide, situated behind the control car and well away from the noise of tha engines. There will be five cabins each holding eight people. The dining saloon will accommodate 2 people at a sitting comfortably, and the full 40 with a squeeze. Behind the quarters are a kitchen, bar, and lavatory.
Big sheds nearly 1,000ft. long are being built at Seville, and a circular hangar with 16 doors at Buenos Ayres, the American terminus, whilst emergency state ions will be established in the Canary Islands and at Cordoba, in the Argentine.
The journey from Spain will occupy about 3 days 16 hours, and the homeward journey about 4 days 6 hours.
expected that the full service twice weekly in each direction, will commence in 1925, but a shorter route, to the Canaries, may be in operation sooner.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.