Champagne, Oysters Served Over Kurow

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28866, 10 April 1959, Page 10

Champagne, Oysters Served Over Kurow

Champagne and oysters were served between two layers of cloud 20,000 ft above Kurow yesterday, but the only hint to the people of Kurow that anything al all was happening above their township was the roar of XK696’s jets. XK696 is the Royal Air Force Transport Command Comet I! which brought the United Kingdom military advisers to the S.E.A.T.O. conference. On a demonstration flight yesterday it took 27 passengers—the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning) members of the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, and representatives of Christchurch newspapers—to Dunedin and back in Ihr 41min.

As if the aircraft’s shape was not enough to identify it, the R.A.F. made sure none of the flight guests would climb into the Viscount instead by planting a white-overalled sergeant with the most magnificent handle-bar moustache ever seen outside a Giles cartoon in a prominent position among the ground crew. With all the passengers seated and secured the Comet warmed up its four Rolls-Royce Avon turbo-jet engines and taxied on to the runway. The rumble of sound increased to a crescendo, and the airport buildings and amateur photographers streamed past as the Comet left the ground. That a Comet needs only 2000 ft of runway was made clear in a startling fashion as the powerful aircraft nosed up towards the sky at an incredible angle. Novelty

Within four minutes the Comet was above the clouds. Those who were relaxing in their seals with the idea that they were about to see beautiful panoramic views of the Southern Alps, the Mackenzie Country and the east coastline gradually overcame their disappointment and enjoyed instead the novelty of sitting at 20,000 ft in one of the world’s fastest passenger aircraft. Below the Comet the cloud extended for miles to form its own horizon, and the long jagged strips of land in the distance were —not mirages—but just a cloud of a different colour. More cloud formed the ceiling. Before most of the passengers had realised that the captain

(Flight Lieutenant D. Draper) had levelled the Comet off the two stewards (Sergeant K. Gar. man and Sergeant Valerie Wickham) were offering champagne, savouries, oysters and other R.A.F. delicacies as a light luncheon.

At 350 miles an hour the aircraft rumbled down the coastline giving a strange impression of noiselessness after the rowdy surge of the take-off. Someone recognised the Clutha river far below through a temporary break in the clouds, and at 12.55 p.nt the Comet turned over Dunedin and inland over Otago.

The flight over Central Otago revealed nothing but occasional glimpses of hills and small townships, and the Comet turned back to Dunedin before beginning the return trip to Christchurch.

Pilots’ Cabin A visit to the pilots’ cabin revealed a marked difference in the demeanour of the passengers and that of the crew. Naturally, the passengers were talking among themselves, smoking and cross-examining the stewards. The crew on the other hand sat silently before their bewildering sea of instruments. Each wore an oxygen mask and each wag obviously devoting all his attention to the technical side of the Comet’s flight. In less time than a motorist would take to drive at 30 milei an hour to Rangiora and back the Comet had covered the distance from Dunedin, and Lake Ellesmere and Banks Peninsula could be seen from the portholes. The Comet flew over Lincoln College, and at the same time Lyttelton Harbour could be seen in the distance. Roaring low over a crazy pattern of green, patchy, dry and ploughed paddocks, the aircraft touched down at 2.03 p.m. at Christchurch airport—with hardly a bump—and the newly experienced jet-travel-lers alighted with the feeling that they could hardly really have been to Dunedin and back in such a short time. The flight was arranged by the Senior Trade Commissioner for the United Kingdom in Wellington (Mr G. Cruikshank), who also made the trip. Other mem*, bers of the Associated Chamber! of Commerce executive made a similar flight at 3 p.m.