AIR TOURIST

Evening Star, Issue 21710, 3 May 1934, Page 6

AIR TOURIST

ENGLISH VISITOR'S EXPERIENCE GOOD FLYING FACILITIES [Special to tub ‘ Star.’] WELLINGTON, May 3. Taking advantage of the facilities available in New Zealand for aviation, an English visitor, Mr Allan Bilbe-Rob-inson, made an air tour of a large part of the North Island last week, and expressed to your correspondent complete satisfaction with the service available to him. “I was surprised at the interest shown in my little tour, he icniarked, “ but if it had been in England it would have been regarded as quite commonplace, for nobody would think twice about covering such a route by aeroplane.” Mr Robinson, who is a sou of Six' Thomas Robinson, a director of the New Zealand Shipping Company, came to the with his father, and wishing to see Taupo and other parts of hte North Island in a limited time sought the use of an aeroplane for himself. He was able to charter a Gipsy Moth from the Waira-i-apa. Aero Club, whose officers, he says, were extremely helpful in planning the tour and providing facilities. Leaving' Masterton last Wednesday, Mr Robinson flew to Palmerston North, accompanied for this- part of the trip by Flying Officer Buckeridge, as the range Svas cloudy. Ho continued the tour alone, going on the next day to Wanganui and ' New Plymouth. His next objective was Taupo, and this was the only portion of the route which he regarded as being in the least difficult, for he could not see any possible landing ground on the way. However, the trip from New Plymouth to Taupo was completed in an hour and thirtyjfive minutes, and as he had circled around Taupo prior to lauding ho was met at the aerodrome five miles out by a car. The nest stage, to Napier, was covered in an hour, and this. Robinson regarded as a wonderfully fine scenic route. Approaching Lake Taupo from the west was also a fine sight, as the range has to be surmounted-, and the visiting aviator came suddenly across the great spectacle of the vast inland lake. From Napier the visitor flew 1o Danncvirke, and thence to Masterton, completing the circle in three days. At every landing place Air Robinson found the necessary facilities and a ready attention which he greatly appreciated. Weather reports were available daily by telephone along the route. “ This experience,” he commented, “ shows that New Zealand has developed practicable facilities for flying. Your aerodromes contrasted with those in England, are somewhat on the small side, but quite suitable. You ask about the c6st. Well, having been made a member of the Wairarapa Club [ was charged club' rates, and found the cost of aeroplane touring in New Zealand compared well with that of England, where private flying is becoming very general. The Brooklands Aero Club, of which I am a member, has forty privately owned machines, and the Gipsy Moth, so generally used in Now Zealand, is equally popular with us, for it is extremely reliable and is cheap to run.” Mr Robinson’returns to England on the Rangitata, leaving Auckland on May 11.