INDEFINITE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1937, Page 8

INDEFINITE.

CLIPPER'S VISIT.

RADIO AND WEATHER.

FRIDAY THE EARLIEST.

STORMS WEST OF SAMOA.

The point was stressed this morning by Mr. Harold Gatty, Pan-American Airways' representative in New Zealand, that he was unable to say definitely when the Clipper would arrive. Friday was the earliest possible date, but the departure of tbe 'plane from Honolulu and afterwards from Kingman Reef and Pago Pago depended upon weather and other conditions.

"I named Friday as the earliest date when hpeaking- on the subject yesterday, so that those who were interested in the arrival of the clipper might know what to expect," said Mr. Gatty. "The 'plane will not leave Honolulu, however, until Captain Mustek is satisfied that the radio direction finding equipment is in thorough working order. I do not want any misunderstandings about the position, and we do not desire to cause any embarrassment to anybody in respect to the time of arrival."

"From Honolulu southwards, as stated previously, there has been nothing done in the past in respect to radio direction finding,, and the 'plane is now engaged in taking bearings of the Honolulu ground station transmitter, while the station itself takes bearings of the 'plane's transmitter. The same proceediug is being carried out in respect to the equipment on board the Northwind, the company's supply ship, which is now at Kingman Reef. The 'plane will remain at Honolulu until the tests are completed and the captain is satisfied with their efficacy. We are not concerned in the flight from a publicity standpoint in any way. We are not endeavouring to shoot the 'plane through. That was never the company's intention. No Delay. "As no schedule has. been set, there has been no delay. What many people do not seem to realise is that the dipper is on a definite job and it is on the report of Captain Musick in respect to the facilities and the equipment that the subsequent passenger and mail service will be inaugurated.

"As far as Pago Pago is concerned, we are not using for the purposes of this flight a ground radio compass, so that the flight from Kingman Reef to Pago Pago is likely to take less time than the other stages of the journey as similar tests on that part of the' route will not be carried out as the 'plane will not rely upon a ground radio compass.' After leaving Kingman Reef the' plane will rely on her own radio compass and take her own bearings of Kingman Reef and Pago Pago and any other stations on the islands off the course. Any time that is lost betw<een Kingman Reef and Auckland will be owing to inspections of the facilities available at both those places, and. of course, to weather conditions. Naturally, we have no desire on a survey voyage to fly a 'plane through bad weather areas."

Mr. Gatty said that the latest weather reports were not too encouraging. Storms were moving from the west towards the Samoan Inlands, but their path and movements were not definite enough yet for him to say whether they would interfere with the flight. The company's meteorological officers were watching the position closely and would know a great deal more within the next 24 hours. It was planned that to-morrow (New Zealand time) should be the tentative day for the hop-off from Honolulu to Kingman Reef, but whether that would be possible would not be known to-day.