DOMINION AIRMAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 288, 5 December 1932, Page 5

DOMINION AIRMAN.

MR. CHICHESTER RETURNS.

DESCRIBES FLIGHT TO JAPAN.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Wellington airman, Mr. F. C. Chichester, returned by the Ruahine on Saturday from London. In the course of an interview, Mr. Chichester said his flight from Australia to Japan was most interesting, especially the trip over head-huntena' territory in New Guinea. A remarkable feature of that part of the flight was the formation of the country in the interior, which appeared to be in drains and ridges, evidence possibly of an ancient civilisation. From New Guinea, Mr. Chichester went to the Aru Islands, lying to the west, and then on to the Spice Islands. A seaplane was essential for such a flight, although it was harder to fly and entailed a colossal amount of maintenance.

The next stage of the leisurely journey was to the Philippine Islands, then on to Formosa, Shangihai and Japan. It was while he was circling over the Japanese town of Katstira that the machine ran into a number of telephone wires stretched between two hills and nose-dived into the ground from a height of 150 feet. Mr. Chiehestfer received numerous injuries and the seaplane was completely wrecked.

When ho set out from Australia, Mr. Chichester had in mind a solo flight over Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Iceland to England. He said that if the opportunity offered in the future to make such a trip he would not hesitate to undertake it.