UNDER FOUR HOURS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 220, 13 June 1930, Page 10

UNDER FOUR HOURS

Christchurch to Auckland RECORD FLIGHT Wonderful Fairey Machin* Dominion Special Servicb, Auckland, June 12. A record speed for air travel in New Zealand was established by Flight-Lieutenant M. VV. Buckley to-day, when he flew one of the Government Fairey F aeroplanes from the Sockburn aerodrome, Christchurch, to Hobsonville Air Base, Auckland, in three hours and forty minutes. It was a non-stop flight, and the distance by the route followed was calculated by the pilot to be 532 miles. The average speed, that is ground speed, was thus 145 miles an honr. Corporal W. Temple accompanied Flight-Lieut Buckley as mechanic. A southerly gale enabled this great speed to be attained. Flight-Lieut. Buckley said that at times the velocity of the gale reached 50 miles an hour. The instruments showed that the air speed of the ’plane varied between 105 and 110 miles an hour, therefore the average velocity of the gale during the journey was between 35 and 40 miles an hour, since the average ground distance covered in each hour of the flight was 145 miles. Story of the Trip, Sockburn was left at 9.50 a.m., and the landing at Hobsonville was made at 1.30 p.m. The coast was followed to Cape Campbell, then a line was taken westward of Wellington over the sea to Kapiti Island. The coast was again followed to Batea, whence the ’plane was flown over the land in order to pass behind Moiint Egmont. Regaining the coast line, 20 or 30 miles to the north of New Plymouth, the pilot followed it to the mouth of the Waikato, whence a direct line was taken to Hobsonville. Wonderful Machine. “A wonderful machine with a perfect engine which makes cross-country flying easy,” said Flight-Lieutenant Buckley when giving his impressions of the flight and capabilities of the Fairey, which is one of two which are to co-operate with the warships in firing exercises in Hauraki Gulf during the next few days. The speed of this flight showed what was, possible by taking advantage of the weather conditions. On the advice of the Government Meteorologist tee had delayed his departure two days. A favourable wind on the day eventually chosen was a factor of which he took full advantage by flying sufficiently high. It was when he saw Wanganui only two hours after taking off that the pilot fully realised how rapid a trip the ' plane was ■ making. Prosaic Return Journey. The return journey to Christchurch for Flight-Lieutenant Buckley and Corporal Temple will take a long time in contrast with the 3 hours and 40 minutes which brought them here. They left by the 7.40 p.m. express tonight and by train and boat can reach their destination on Saturday morning. ANOTHER RECORD Invercargill-Dunedin Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, June 12. To-day a Dunedin aeroplane set a new record for local flights, when the Cadbury-Fry-Hudson “Chocolate” machine made the journey from Invercargill to Dunedin in the excellent time of 46 minutes. The Southland aerodrome was left at exactly 10.80 a.m., the time being checked by two officials, and the ’plane, with Mr. David Gain (a representative of the firm) as passenger, and Captain McGregor at the controls, winged its way steadily through a clear sky under full speed for Dunedin, landing here at exactly 11.16 a.m., fortysix minutes after its departure. Mr. Gain, while naturally elated at having taken part in a record flight, stated that at no stage of the journey did he experience the slightest discomfort or inconvenience, and, as he expressed it himself, he “felt like going on to Christchurch.”