SOUTHERN CROSS

Feilding Star, Volume 10, Issue 3929, 12 January 1933, Page 5

SOUTHERN CROSS

Lands at New Plymouth AT 7 LAST NIGHT HER THIRD CONQI EST OF THE TASMAN SEA T'NDER KIXGSFORD SMITH FN'DER IDEAL CONDITIONS IN 14 ITOT’RS b MINUTES ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION Per Press Association Now Plymouth. .Tan. 12. Flying the famous aeroplane Southern Cross. Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his four companions took in their stride yesterday the broad Tasman Sea and crossed with a single magnificent sweep from Australia to New Zealand. GREAT CROWD Ten thousand people or more were at the Roll Rloek aerodrome. New Plymouth, when the Southern Cross came into sight just l>efore T p.m.— rather more than 14 hours after the flight had begun. High above tlie ground ten aeroplanes were honouring it and sharing its place in the sun. LANDED LIKE A RIRD The big machine circled down steadily, the excitement increased, and a perfect landing of the kind for which Sir Charles is renowned was made at 7 p.m. exactly. BRIEF SPEECHES Siieeclies of welcome occupied a few minutes, and Sir Charles was greeted with terrific enthusiasm when he replied. FAMOUS MACHINE Tlie Southern Cross itself, the huge handsome machine which lias flown so many miles, stood silently nearby, with another groat performance behind it. THE VOYAGE!'RS Sir Cha'rles's companions yesterday were Captain I*. G. Taylor, the co-pilot: Mr .1. W. S. Stannage, the wireless oi>erator: Mr. S. E. Nielson, of the New Zealand Aero Club: and Mr. .1. l’ercival. a Sydney journalist. Captain Taylor took his turn at the controls, anil Mr. Stannage was the man who kept the machine continuously in touch by radio with New Zealand and Australia. This was Sir Charles's third flight across tin* Tasman, two memorable ones having been made toward the end of 1928 Rut yesterday's flight was faster than either of them. It occupied 14 hours 5 minutes, which was rather less rlinn the time for the first Tasman crossing and considerably less than the rime for tlie second. DO IT DAILY “If you could guarantee conditions such as those under which we made the crossing yesterday. I would gladly fly the Tasman every day," sit id Sir Charles, in an interview. “Today’s trip was a walk-over. It was the first time rlie Southern Cross has crossed an ocean without encountering had weather, and it was certainly a contrast from her rrip four years ago.