VIKING FLIES TO DUNEDIN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25177, 7 May 1947, Page 6

VIKING FLIES TO DUNEDIN

RETURN TO HAREWOOD IN 50 MINUTES In 3 hours 40 minutes yesterday the Vickers Viking aircraft which is now touring New Zealand, flew from Christchurch to Dunedin and back, and also made two short flights at Taieri with 24 passengers each time. The Viking was to have flown to Invercargill, but rain and cloud prevented the aircraft from flying further south. The Viking left Harewood at 10.20 a.m., and cruising at 222 miles an hour at a height of 4000 ft reached Taieri at 11.30 a.m. Mr B. W. A. Dickson, general manager of the aircraft section of Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., and the crew were welcomed by the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones) and the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr D. C. Cameron), who both expressed their pleasure at seeing one ot the latest types of British commercial aircraft at Taieri. Mr Jones and Mr Cameron, and local body reseptatives, were passengers on the first demonstration flight, and after the second flight the Vuong left on the return flight at 1.10 pm. arriving at 2 pm Among the passengers on the Viking was Mrs A. Wachner, wife at the

Mayor of Invercargill, who had travelled from Dunedin and joined the aircraft at Christchurch. If the weather forecast at 6 o’clock this morning is favourable the Viking will leave for the West Coast about 9 a.m. The Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr C. F. Skinner) will be a passenger for Westport if the weather permits the aircraft’s flight to the coast. The Viking’s next stop will be Nelson, to where the plane will fly direct from Christchurch if conditions are unsuitable for the trip to Westport. Woodbourne, Paraparaumu and Ohakea will be visited on the route to Whenuapai, where the Viking is expected about 5 p.m.