TEST FLIGHTS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 140, 10 December 1935, Page 10

TEST FLIGHTS

KARORO IN THE AIR

UNION AIRWAYS' FIRST

MACHINE

One of the most important events in the history of aviation ■. in New Zealand took place at Wigram Aerodrome on Sunday, when the newlyassembled airliner, Karoro, was given its preliminary tests before being placed on the commercial run between Palmerston North and Duhedin, reports the Christchurch "Star-Sun." The machine behaved perfectly, and officials said afterwards that the tests showed that it would be the ideal type of aeroplane for the important task ahead.

The Karoro is the first of the D.H. airliners to be assembled at Wigram for the fleet of Union.Airways. It incorporates so many new features that it takes its place as the most modern aircraft ever to fly in the Dominion.

The Ka»oro was brought from ths hangar by a tractor, and after a few final adjustments, the tanks were filled with petrol by the new fuelling device, and the engines were given a warming up.

To a layman, the most attractive feature about the Karoro is the unusual sweep of her lines. This was especially evident when the machine was in the ah1. As soon as she rose from the ground, after a short run, the effect of streamlining on the body and the tapering wings gave an impression of beauty and speed that was not suspected when the machine was in the hangar. Streamlining, on the .: four engines and the undercarriage added to its handsome appearance.

After circling the aerodrome several times, the pilot, Mr. B. A. Blythe, increased the speed to 170 miles an hour, and incidentally deprived Mr. J. Busch, who was flying the Aero Club's Fox Moth, of the opportunity of taking a photograph of the new machine in flight.

Owing to her ability to make steep glides and to her effective brakes, the Karoro. was brought to a quick stop when she landed. /

The next test was made with a full load of lead ingots. Again the machine behaved perfectly, and after several landings was taken back to the hangar.

Mr. M. C. McGregor,. jervice manager of Union Airways, said, after the tests had been completed, that the new express was one of the newest members of the D.H. family. "There's a great difference between this machine and the one I flew in the pioneering days between Christchurch and. Dunedin," he said. "The Karoio is the largest, heaviest, and . most powerful aeroplane ever flown in New.Zealand, arid it has flown at a higher speed than any other commercial machiDe in this country. The main thing, however, is that she is the first large modern aeroplane that has been imported for the purpose of operating a commercial service." ■