INTENSE INTEREST AROUSED.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20199, 30 March 1931, Page 11

INTENSE INTEREST AROUSED.

STORY OP THE,TAKE-OFF. NO FORMAL FAREWELL.

pwTB fSSBS Special SorvleaS

AUCKLAND, March 29. Mr Chichester's flight to Australia ifl arousing intense interest, the dramatic , ~ nature of his departure having captured * the pttblie imagination* Airmen who know him well are confident of his success, given ordinary luck. r Mr Dou&las Mill said that although those at the Hobsonville air base knew that Mr Chichester had been attending to this aeroplane for some time, he was not aware of the'attempted flight until 10 o'clock yesterday morning. "Chichester is the most casual ehap yon,eould ever know," said Mr Mill, "and I don't think that he knows him- . e self what he is going to do next. Thsa morning he sitoiply filled up his bus with petrol, and: off he went, we all saw him off tlus morning. Ab &© left ™ ifatflf 7 - .7 linear the slipway to taxi out into™ harbour, he smiled and said: Til be back in ten minutes.' He is a restless , , chap, and seems to like tinkering abpui his machine. ' "On Friday, before I went' to ttfwn, , " he asked me to get him some spark -plugs. I got them, arid returned home late last night. . At, 6 o'clock thia morning I was awakened by the noise of *a .. raeroplane engine. I knew ..that Hone of the Air Force Moths wis leaving on a <.** flight, so I got up and went across to ; Chichester, who was warming up ~ the. , „ ' engine of his machine. I thought X bad- , ,» a better give him the new plugs, I , .> knew he liad fairly old ones fitted, *r / Chichester changed his plngs,-nnd; agate :x warmed up the engine. J thought seemed rather funny. '• " '■ i ■ - "We gave him a hand to get/his Moth J . ? down the slipway, and off he went with - a remark that he would be baCk in "Seo ';i minutes." _ _' ~

Kept Plana to - . v, Questioned concerning Mi fl&iebas" / ters recent preparations, Mr Mil \ stated that he kept hit plana. strictly -pif to himself. Tor aome time part' -M*. fi ;jj» Chichester had been staying privately at Hobsonvllle. ''He has been over at mv home for dinner quite often, btt* - "/ never told, me , - what 1 Mjn; tended to do,", added Mr MQL ?®w Borne reason he has gwrtm a good? Ward daring the l«st wetfc or so. He has got * yg a terrific hurdle la front of him, to do - his ow* piloting #4i bn,t" X. ,'i |«|| am toy 6 ho Will gflt 'through wiHl itj ■*«.., k|| because for a* long time-past M been polishing up -^1 ho is.flowjEUi flbsolttte;w |.^IS and^haa t Memfceta if the fce'tolwa** vffle bftse helped Mr Chiffcestsr ertfbly.' Thaw .ytsut' no. fffSt 3? well by f meteiu wiretes* , , slight 1 .vi>SS Oa hia flight from. Epglaail to Xw^ftC-^ * 4 - lit; Mr

'iutttre, iwta 'toN^ !SS3sS^Spfal from Arirta&ig, :M*' long flight iB -^^jap„'wit%^yi{ «On a tfwot wmSfto^" 4MMjAnMCdt| tha. two cottßtrtM,;,nq cany » «M» of fuel is yeedeS.: By lasting ■ gtomafls. affiftflflpSj- Wi-?%IS fnelling. oa. eaclj | machine eotM tarry, b r^p

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