Bran Lift and Drop African airlines are not always able to confine themselves to the routine work of transporting passengers and freight on their routes. An instance of extra-curricular operations was one recently undertaken by West African Airways Corporation in answer to an S.O.S. stating that locust swarms were moving into the fertile crop-growing areas on the borders of northern Nigeria and French West Africa. A plan was worked out for the scattering of poison-impregnated bran and the main requirement was to deliver this bait in 50 lb double sacks to forces on the ground. The first drops were made accurately from about 50ft but it was found that some of the sacks burst on hitting the ground. Drops were attempted from even lower, and it was found possible to do the job successfully from as low as 20ft. In two days 15 tons of bran was delivered precisely and then quickly scattered by natives. The operation was largely successful, and from the pilots' point of view without hazard until the arrival of large numbers of hawks which were also attracted by the bran.
Goal Flight A pilot of the R.N.Z.A.F., P/O. McL. Milne, recently made a noteworthy landing when the engine of his Vampire failed to relight at an altitude of 25,000ft during a night flight. Knowing he was some 40 miles north-west of his base at Ohakea, he decided to glide back there. At about 15,000ft he came under radar control, whereby W/C. D. F. St. George, O.C. Flying Wing Ohakea, brought him over the airfield at about 5,000ft and eventually in for a good landing.
Long Zeppelin An aeronautical research establishment was founded at Stuttgart last week and for those wishing to jot down the full name on their shirt cuffs, it is Arbeitsundforschungsgemeinschaft Graf Zeppelin.
Wyvern Grounding The Wyverns operating with the Mediterranean Fleet were recently temporarily grounded as a routine precaution following two incidents. In the first accident a Wyvern from H.M.S. Albion, flown by Lt. B. Macfarlane, struck the sea and sank rapidly. The pilot operated his ejector seat under water and, though he is reported to have experienced some trouble from his parachute, which became deployed, and to have suffered some injuries, he escaped with his life.
Source: Flight International
