FLYING TO CANBERRA

Evening Star, Issue 19893, 15 June 1928, Page 8

FLYING TO CANBERRA

THE PACIFIC AVIATORS Fr.” r .;.TATIOH OF FEDERAL CHEQUE Presa Association— By Telegraph—Copyright* MELBOURNE, Juno LI. Tho Pacific aviators were tendered a civic reception, tho route to the Town Mall being lined with cheering crowds. They will fly .to-morrow to Canberra, where they will be presented with the Federal 'Government's cheque for £5,000. WIGRAM THE BEST LANDING SOUTHERN ALPS A FINE GUIDE. [Special to tee ‘Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. Mr P. R. Ciimie, organiser of the Canterbury Progress League, has discussed with a number of airmen the question of the best landing place, and the most direct route to New Zealand from Melbourne, iu view of the projected Tasman flight. Mr Ciimie states that consensus of opinion favoured the landing at Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch. Tho "whole of the Southern Alps would show up clearly well out across the Tasman, and they would be the first land that tho aviators would see when (hey were approaching New Zealand. ’There could not be a better landmark than the Southern Alps, which form the backbone of. the South Island. Mount Cook towers above all others, and would bo a splendid mark for the aviators to keep on their right. Their ordinary flying height in clear weather would bo about. 8,00011, and that height, would clear the range without any" difficulty. Tho fact was that tho Alps presented absolutely no obstacle to the aviators. . Westport was about tho nearest point in New Zealand to Melbourne, and was really in a direct lino between .Melbourne and Christchurch, so that, by taking tho straightest and shortest route, the Southern Cross would naturally land in Christchurch. Wellington would present greater obstacles, owing to the fact that Trcntham was hemmed in by fairly high bills If the wind were unfavourable, some difficulties would be presented in the landing of such a largo machine at Trcntham. Christchurch, which was on the plains, and had no nearby lulls to cause interruptions, would'present less difficulties for a landing tban any other part of the dominion. Added inducements for landing at Christchurch were the facilities at tho aerodrome, which would bo at the disposal of the aviators. From whatever point of view the matter was considered, it appealed to the flying men with whom lie had discussed the matter that the natural objective of the Southern Cross must bo Wigram Aerodrome.