SITES FOR FLYINGBOAT BASE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 158, 1 April 1937, Page 15

SITES FOR FLYINGBOAT BASE

Inspection to be Made by Clipper’s Crew ROUTE FOR WELLINGTON FLIGHT By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, March 31. An inspection of the Waitemata Harbour- and of suggested sites for the establishment of a flying-boat base will be made to-morrow by Captain Musick and experts from the crew of the PanAmerican Airways’ clipper. This is actually one of the most important aspects of the survey flight, as a firstclass terminal base is an essential in the organisation of a commercial air service.

Captain Musick and his officers, together with Mr. Harold Gatty and the company’s experts who have been responsible for the ground organisation in Auckland, will first obtain a comprehensive view of. the harbour from the summit of Mount Eden. Having obtained a panoramic view of the harbour, with particular reference to the selection of the most suitable quarter for the establishment of a base, the party will probably drive along the waterfront road to inspect the general outlook from that angle. Finally they will return to the city and board the Auckland Harbour Board’s launch to complete their inspection by sea. During his earlier visits to Auckland Mr. Gatty has made several inspections of the harbour in company with harbour board officials to pick out possible sites for a flying-boat base. These sites will all be inspected and their advantages assessed by experts from the crew of the clipper. A visit was paid this afternoon to the company’s temporary wireless station, and matters in this connection will also form the subject of reports to the head office of the company. A tribute to the assistance of the Government Meteorological Office in connection with the survey flight of the clipper was paid by Mr. Gatty. He made particular reference to the work of Dr. Macky, of Wellington, who cooperated with the company’s meteorologist and operations manager, Mr. A. Francis, at the temporary headquarters in Auckland. “The help given us by the Meteorological Office has been outstanding, and we are most grateful,” Mr. Gatty said. Accurate weather forecasts were an essential part of modern commercial aviation, and the company fully appreciated the wholehearted manner in which the New Zealand authorities had co-operated in this important adjunct to the survey flight. On its flight to Wellington the clipper, after circling over New Plymouth, will then skirt the coast until Patea is reached. If time permits the clipper will pass over Wanganui and Palmerston North, but otherwise a direct course will be made from I’atea to Wellington. The course to’be taken on the way back to Auckland will depend principally upon the time available as it is essential that the clipper should reach Auckland by five o’clock. If time permits Captain Musick may fly up the East Coast on the way back to Auckland, passing over Napier. Requests that the clipper should pass overhead in course of her flight have been received from a large number of towns. It will be impossible to comply with them all. although effort will be made to fly in the vicinity of certain of the main centres.

Pan-American Clipper’s Wellington Visit

FLIGHT TO-MORROW

Member of Crew Expected To Arrive To-day

Expected to arrive at Wellington from Auckland this morning, an officer of the Pan-Anterieau Airways flyingboat’s crew will, together with Wellington Harbour Board officials and others, make a survey of the three suggested mooring-places for the flyingboat when she reaches Wellington tomorrow morning. The sites are at Thorndou, Oriental Bay and Evans Bay.

The harbour board has offered the use of all facilities likely to be required by Captain Musick, aud, apart from the selection of the mooringplace. which will depend upon weather conditions, everything is in readiness. The craft is expected to leave Auckland at 7 a.m., provided weather conditions are suitable, and will land at Wellington at approximately 10 a.m. Captain Musick aud his officers will be met by Wellington Harbour Board, Wellington County Council and Wellington Chamber of Commerce officials. The airmen have accepted an invitation from the Acting-Prime Minister to be the guests of the Government at a reception and morning tea at Parliament House at 11 a.m., and plans have been made by the chamber of commerce and the city council to hold a complimentary luncheon for the flyers at the Art Gallery at 12.30 p.m. The flyingboat will make the return flight to Auckland at about 2 p.m. En route from Auckland to-morrow morning, the machine will set a course direct for Mount Egmont, skirting the coast round the mountain and flying over New Plymouth before continuing straight for Wellington. It is expected that Captain Musick will circle over Wellington and then laud fairly well out in the harbour, mooring at 10 o’clock. Captain Musick stated at Auckland yesterday that normally the trip to 'Wellington would take only two hours, but in view of the fact that he intended to circle over New Plymouth' bv special request, the trip would probably take the best part of three hours.

An Auckland Press Association message states that the arrangements for the flight are under the direction of Mr. Harold Gatty, who said it was probable that the plane would leave ■Wellington about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. It appeared to him that ■Wellington people were intensely interested in the service coming to New Zealand, and that everybody in the capital had displayed a tine national spirit in furthering the proposed service.

CIVIC RECEPTION AT AUCKLAND Scenes of Enthusiasm By Telegraph—Press Association. “ Auckland, March 31. Scenes of enthusiasm were witnessed at a civic reception in the Town Hall this afternoon to Captain Musick and the crew of the Pan-American Airways clipper ship. The New Zealand Ensign aud the Stars and Stripes adorned the stage and both National Anthems were played on the organ. Representatives were present of the Government, the Army, the Navy, and local bodies. The mayor of Auckland, Mr. Ernest Davis, congratulated the guests on the monumental part they had played iu bringing New Zealand within almost a stone’s-throw of the United States of America, thereby cementing the bonds between the two countries. He paid tributes to the memory of the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Mr. C. T. P. Ulm, whose names would go down in history. (Applause.)

The Hon. 11. G. R. Mason, AttorneyGeneral, extended a welcome on behalf of the Government aud people of New Zealand, who admired the skill of the crew and the zeal with which Pan-American Airways were fulfilling the undertaking to bring their wonderful service to these shores.

There were various other speakers, including Mr. Tai Mitchell, Rotorua, who represented the Maori race and likened the crew to the eight hearts of Maori mythology and presented them with eight carved pipes. To Captain Musick he handed a magnificent carved mere.

Captain Musick expressed the appreciation of himself and his companions of the hearty welcome and the splendid tributes to the ship and themselves. He trusted that they would in the future become regular visitors.

HON. P. FRASER’S MESSAGE Strengthening Bonds of Friendship Immediately after the completion of the Pan-American Airways’ survey flight from California to Auckland by way of Honolulu and Pago Pago, the Acting-Prime Minister, Hon. P. Fraser, sent to Captain Edwin 0. Musick, chief pilot of the plane, the following message : —

“On behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand I desire to congratulate you and your crew on your tine achievement, which marks an epoch in trans-Pacific aviation and will do much to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the English-speak-ing yieoples of (lie Pacific.” CROWDS VIEW PLANE Great Auckland Interest By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, March 31. The extent, to which the arrival of the Pan-American Airways’ clipper has captured the interest of the Auckland public was amply demonstrated to-day. The scene on the waterfront on Tuesday afternoon when the giant flyingboat made her triumphant arrival was only to be expected, but throughout today all roads seemed to lead to Mechanics’ Bay aud to the temporary base for the largest aircraft yet seen in New Zealand. There was an almost ceaseless procession of people whose one idea was to obtain an uninterrupted view of the craft. Thousands who made tlie journey to I lie waterfront during the day had to be content with a view of the clipper from a respectful A’a±a.ucO.

Early in the morning the craft was shifted from her moorings and berthed at a barge which is connected with the shore by a floating gangway. Then commenced busy hours of cheeking and testing, a prosaic but nevertheless essential part of. the duties of ocean flyers. The principal tasks performed were the cheeking of engines and ail other equipment of the clipper and the shipping of ample supplies of fuel for the flight to and from Wellington. Various members of the crew were engaged on these tasks throughout the day, and they had the assistance of aireraftmen from the Hobsonville Air Base and oil company experts.

THE RETURN FLIGHT Equally Important For Collection of Data By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, March 31. “The trip to Auckland is only one stage of the survey flight,” said Captain Musick in an interview to-day. “We shall attach equal importance to the return trip, from the viewpoint of collecting data for any future commercial service, and on our return the reports of our various experts will be collated and forwarded to the company. I cannot express an official opinion, but from the flying point of view it seems to me that the trip across the Pacific is Just as practicable as the flight to the Orient.” He said he was most favourably impressed by the expanse of water available for landing in Auckland harbour. and added: “We all appreciated the welcome Auckland gave us.” FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA Hope of Commonwealth (Received March 31, 9 p.m.) Melbourne, March 31. The Minister of Customs, Mr. White, to-day expressed the hope that the PanAmerican Clipper would continue its flight from Auckland to Australia. He said Australia as a whole was anxious to see the Tastnau link completed, and would welcome the clipper’s visit as a demonstration of the concord which exists between the two nations.