BYRD EXPEDITION

Evening Star, Issue 20089, 1 February 1929, Page 7

BYRD EXPEDITION

ANOTHER PONTOON PLANE TESTS OH NEW ZEALAND COAST [P£R United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, January 31. Mr 11. S. Brophy, second in command of the Byrd Expedition, announces that tiic aerial strength of the expedition is to be increased by bringing from America another of the great Fairchild pontoon aeroplanes, a duplicate of that now being Jlown in the Antarctic by Commander Byrd. The suitability of Auckland for Hying such water base machine had prompted the decision to have it brought hero lor the first ol an extensive series of experimental flights, which later would-probably include a complete aerial tour of the New Zealand coast. The City of New York alter returning to Dunedin for the winter would probably require docking for repairs, after which she would visit Lyttelton, Wellington, Auckland, Suva, Honolulu, Tahiti, Melbourne, and Sydney. The expedition is proving even more costly than was anticipated. Already the expenditure is £30,000 oyer the estimate, but more funds arc being constantly raised in America. The fifteen dogs which arrived by the Niagara cost £.300 landed here. Mr Brophy is arranging for the manufacture in Auckland of more smoke bombs to be used in snow flying for gauging the distance from the ground and indicating the direction ol the wind.