RECORD AIR TRIP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 99, 28 April 1945, Page 6

RECORD AIR TRIP

LONDON—AUCKLAND

NEW SERVICE COMMENCED

A record flight was made by the A.vro Lancastrian aircraft, which arrived at Whenuapai yesterday on the inaugural trip of the new Lon-don-Auckland air service. The plane completed the journey in 3 days 12 hours 50 minutes, while the SydneyAuckland ''lap" was taken in 5 hours '5 minutes. After a circuit over the city, the plane landed at Whenuapai at 5.20 p.m. The previous fastest time from Great Britain to New Zealand via India was made in 1938 by the New Zealander, Flying-Officer A. E. Clouston, who took 4 days 8 hours 7 minutes. The previous record for the Sydney-Auckland trip was 5 hours 35 minutes, which was established by Captain D. Teel, piloting a Liberator of the R.A.F. Transport Command in February. Nevertheless, according to Captain R. G. Buck, who is in command of the Lancastrian, their speed was normal, and did not exceed the schedule planned for the coming service. ' ,

"It was a bit of a dash, though, he smiled, "in that we did not stop anywhere, except to refuel. We did not sleep at any of the air bases en route. Also, when the service begins, different planes will take different parts of the journey, in relay fashion, so that delays may occur at various stopping places. Also, winds might not always be as favourable as they were for our trip. "Actually," he added, "on the reckoning I made before we left, we were a quarter of an hour late! Flying time for the whole 13,000mile trip was 53 hours 43 minutes, while the scheduled flying time for the new service is 60 hours. The average speed from England was about 247 miles an hour, and. the average speed for the trip from Sydney was over 260 miles an hour. Informal Welcomc The aircraft personnel were welcomed informally on arrival by Mr. E. A. Robinson, Auckland manager of Tasman Empire Airways, Captain Oscar Garden, chief pilot of Tasman Airways, who is an old friend of Captain Buck, Croup-Captain C. C. Hunter, officer commanding the station, Mr.- Maurice Clarke, managing director of Union Airways, and by Group-Captain M. Keough, director of Maintenance and Repairs, R.N.Z.A.F., and Squadron-Leader Carpenter, Chief of the Aeronautical Inspection Division (Civil) both of whom came from Wellington to greet

Members of the crew of the Lancastrian are:—Captain R. C. S. Reid, second pilot; Captain E. Brook-Wil-liams and Mr. A. W. Wennel, navigators; Messrs. H. C. P. Chapman and E. M. Stockdale, radio operators; Messrs. B. Fitzpatrick and V. D. Tomley, flight engineers; R. E. Allfrey, observer. Also on board were Messrs. E. 11. Atkin. of the Avro Company; J. R. White, from the Ministry of Aircraft Production; and H. W. Slade, of the Asiatic Petroleum Company.

Captain Buck said the crew was a development unit, whose job was to carry out performance tests on Lancastrian aircraft. The craft had come up to the required standard and proved its suitability for the new route. Two Lancastrians had now been delivered to Qantas Empire Airways in Australia.

The chief navigator, Captain BrookWilliams, said most of the flight was made at the 10,000 ft level. It was taken in seven stages from England, by way of Lydda, Karachi, Colombo, Western Australia and Sydney. The new London-Auckland service will begin in June, the machines carrying high priority passengers, mail and freight. It is not intended as a passenger service in the ordinary sense, but accommodation is adequate under wartime conditions, said Captain Buck. Each aircraft will have a crew of five, and will carry nine passengers across the Tasman and six across the Indian Ocean.

The plane will leave for Sydney at 10 a.m. on Monday, and will stay there a week before returning to England.