GOAL REACHED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 152, 30 June 1927, Page 7

GOAL REACHED.

/FRISCO TO HONOLULU. Lmerican 'Plane Does Flight In 25hrs 43mins. GREAT reception given. L Cable— Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10 a.m.) HONOLULU, June 29. ; After a flight of 25hrs 43mins lieutenant Lester Maitland, pilot, s nd Albert Hegenberger, navigator, jn the American Army Fokker, threecncined monoplane, readied here from Oakland, California, at 6.31 s.m.

The aviators landed in Wheeler Field, making a perfect descent. The 'plane <axied°to a perfect position directly in {ront of the reviewing stand, where there ■pa= a battalion of troops. The aviators wero immediately surlounded, and they seemed wearied as they stepped out of the machine. Nevertheless they declared that they vc re feeling fine. They missed their landing directions, 'delavin 1 ' the arrival somewhat, and causing a temporary anxiety among the thousands who gathered.

' Although a group of escort planes had fceen searching over Motorkia Channel for hours, no one saw the airship until it was 50 feet from the' ground.

Lieut. Maitland said: "This is my life desire come true. The flight was a marvellous success. Although we had bad weather part of the time the ship lehaved perfectly.

"We heard radio signals until last light, when one of our receiving sets went, out of commission." The fliers were greeted by Governor JVallace. Fe'rrington, and army and navy officials. Both men's necks were hung 1 with leis (floral garlands).'

After a- brief reception they were driven to the army headquarters, the military and civilian police straining to keep off the crowd.

The linerj President Cleveland, all through the night relayed messages from the aviators indicating the machine's progress Vt'hich closely conformed to the original schedule of the flight..