WESTERLY WIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 277, 22 November 1934, Page 7

WESTERLY WIND.

EGMONT CLOUDED. 'Plane Expected to Take Fifteen Hours. FLIGHT DEPRECATED. (Kj- Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) NEW PLYMOUTH, this day. The "weather is perfect for the arrival of the Tasnian airmen, but Mount Eg'mont is hidden by a bank of clouds. A strong westerly should help the airmen on the latter part of their journey. The absence of wireless makes the time of their arrival a matter of conjecture, but it is considered likely that the flight will occupy 15 hours, 111 which case they would arrive about seven. Four visiting Moths and the two Melbourne air race 'planes, which arrived this morning from Ilawera, will patrol the air and escort the arriving 'plane. Flares have been prepared in case of a night landing, and the Rapide Dragon and Miles Hawk, with their navigation lights, will act as escort. Mr. J. D. Hewett this morning depi'ecated Tasman flights in singleengined light 'planes as not in the best interests of aviation. MENZIES' CROSSING. Former Solo Crossing of Tasman. LANDING AT HOKITIKA. When Mr. Guy Menzies made his remarkable secret flight from Sydney to the South Island 011 January 8, 1031, it was stated that 110 permission to make the flight was sought from the Civil Aviation Department of Australia, and none was actually needed as no lives were at stake other than that of the pilot.

Comment was made in various quarters, while shorn of some of its acerbity by news of the safe arrival, that such unheralded flights should be discouraged. No one would deny the courage of a flyer which leads to such an achievement, but these flights involved a good deal of responsibility and anxiety on the part of other people.

In describing his flight after landing the Southern Cross Junior in a swamp at Harihari, N 47 miles south of Hokitika, Mr. Menzies said that he was troubled by tail winds and until he reached the coast he had a pretty strenuous time. Visibility had been obscured by clouds and heavy rain. Sometimes he was within a few feet of the sea and sometimes as high as 11,000 ft. He reached the New Zealand coast exactly 11 hours after taking off. When he came down he had still enough petrol for two hours' flyingMr. Menzies' 'plane was bought from Sir Charles Kingsford Smith two weeks before the flight. PREVIOUS CROSSINGS. FIFTEEN FLIGHTS TO DATE. Fifteen flights across the Tasman have been made to date. The record for the crossing, llh 58m, was established by C. T. P. Ulm in the Faith in Australia on his return flight to Sydneyearly in 1934. The best time for the crossing from Australia to New Zealand is 12h 12m, taken by Mr. Guy Menzies in his sensational solo flight in 1931. Mr. F. C. Chichester flew the Tasman via Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands (three hops) in March-June, 1931. Details of previous flights are as follow: — Year. Time. Faith In Australia — To Australia 1034 llh 58m Guv Menzies 1931 12h 12m Hewett & Kay 1934 121 i 14m Southern Cross to Australia 1933 13h 9m Southern Cross to Australia 1934 13h 25m Southern Cross to N.Z. . . 1933 141 i 10m Faith in Australia — To Australia 1934 14h 10m To New Zealand 1933 141 i 23m Southern Cross to N.Z. .. 1928 14h 25m Southern Cross to N.Z. .. 1934 15h 25m Faith in Australia— To New Zealand 1934 15h -Cm To Australia 1934 15h 35m To New Zealand 1934 Kill 38m Southern Cross to Australia 1928 22h 51m F. C. Chichester 1931 26h The only unsuccessful flight across the Tasman was the first, which was attempted on January 10, 1928, by two New Zealanders, Captain G. Hood and Lieutenant J. R. Moncrieff in the monoplane Aotearoa.