A SURVEY FLIGHT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 78, 12 January 1928, Page 7

A SURVEY FLIGHT.

SEAGULL REACHES SYDNEY. Having flown about 10,000 miles since leaving Melbourne on September 27, Captain E. O. Wackett, in an amphibian Seagull aeroplane, arrived in Sydney Harbour on December 22. Captain Wackett, who was accompanied by Corporal G. Simpson and Aircraftsman K. Irving, has since his departure from. Melbourne completed a survey of the coastline of Papua and the Mandated Territory. This work was undertaken in conjunction with a Federal Government geological party, one of whom, Mr Mason-Jones, was with him on flights in Papua. The 'plane left Southport at 8 o'clock on the morning of his arrival in Sydney. It called at Maclean and Port Macquarie for fuelling on the way down and reached Sydney just after 4 o'clock, alighting in Rose Bay. For some time the 'plane atracted attention while it was taxi-ing round the.bay looking for a buoy. Finally Captain Wackett ran it up into the shallow water near the beach at the back of the Winter Gardan Picture Theatre. There his brother, Squadron-Leader Wackett, was waiting to welcome him, and he was also welcomed by Mr J. A. (Portus, assistant-manager of the British Imperial Oil Company. Two Seagulls commenced' the flight from Melbourne, one being in charge of Flying-Officer D. Ross. Flying-Officer G. Packer, who has since returned by steamer, also made the flight to New Guinea. The other 'plane had engine trouble in New Guinea and a new engine has been sent up for it. FlyingOfficer Ross will pilot it down to Australia in about a month's time. Captain Wackett told a "Sydney Morning Herald" representative that no exceptional difficulties were experienced during the flights to and from New Guinea and round the coastline. Flying conditions there were very good better than in Australia. No difficulty was experienced in finding alighting places round the coast. Excellent weather was experienced except for one storm. There were no untoward incidents during any part of the flights.. A report on 'the survey work carried out would later be siu> mitted to the prorjer authorities. The work was mainly concerned with the search for oil-bearing country. FlightLieutenant Wackett said that this had been his first long flight and it had been a splendid experience.