TASMAN FLIGHT.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20906, 13 July 1933, Page 8

TASMAN FLIGHT.

♦- MR T. W. WHITE CHOSEN AS PILOT. TO ACCOMPANY SIR CHARLES KINGSFOKD-SMITH. (muss Atraomno.v telegram.) WELLINGTON, July 12. Sir Charles King.sford-Smith lias chosen Mr T. W. White, chief pilot of New Zealand Airways, to fly his Australian-built monoplane across the Tasman in December. In making an announcement to this effect to-day, Mr B. Shiel, aviation officer of the Vacuum Oil Company, said the machine will be a six-passenger, twin-engined monoplane, to be built at Cockatoo Island, Sydney, and registered as the first of the Cudock type. It wili be of Fokker design, powered by two Napier Javelin engines, each developing 175 horse-power. It will have a wing span of 52 feet and an all-over length of 35 feet. With either engine stopped, the machine will be able to fly for at least 800 miles. The top speed of the machine will be 140 miles an hour, and its cruising speed 125 miles an hour. Its range with a full pay load will bo 1000 miles. By installing extra petrol tanks in the place of passenger accommodation, an ocean flight of 2000 miles will be possible. j First Commercial Test. J "It is expected that the machine] will be completed in November," ::aid Mr Shiel, "and although it will be rigidly tested at Sydney, the first commercial test will be the flight across the Tasman, in company with the Southern Cross." Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith is conducting a competition among school children for an Australian name for the new aeroplane. It is expected that after the tour of New Zealand he will enter a tender for the Australia-Singapore section of the England-Australia air service. Mr While is a well-known New Zealand pilot. He enlisted in 1914 and served on Gallipoli, transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in October, 1016. He served in the East until a forced landing behind the enemy lines in July, 1917, made him a prisoner until the Armistice. Pioneer Flying in Fiji. Adopting aviation as his profession, Mr White did some pioneer flying in Fiji, including a considerable amount of aerial survey work. At the commencement of the aero club movement in New Zealand, he was appointed pilot-instructor to the Hawke's Bay Club, and he later joined New Zealand Airways, Ltd., in Timaru, as chief pilot. In'this, capacity he has done a considerable amount to assist in the exploration of Central Otago, and during the tour of the Southern Cross at the beginning of the year he flew the Southern Cross Kitten, a tender machine, for the latter portion of the tour. He commands the No. 4 (Army Co-operation) Squadron of tne New Zealand Air Force, in which he iiolds the rank of squadron leader.