SURVEY FLIGHT

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 January 1928, Page 10

SURVEY FLIGHT

10,000 MILES JOURNEY. Having flown about 10,000 .miles since leaving Melbourne on September, Captain E. C. Wackett, in an amphibian Seagull aeroplane, arrived in Sydney Harbour on December 32. Captain Wackett, who was accompanied by Corporal G. Simpson and Aircraftsman K. Irving, has since his departure'’from Melbourne completed a

survey of the coastline of Papua and the Mandated Territory. This work was undertaken in conjunction with a Federal Government geological party, one of whom, Mr Mason-Jones, was with him on flights in Papua. The 'plane left South port at - 8 o’clock on the morning of his arrival in Sydney. It called at Maqlpan and Port Macquarie for fuelling on the way down and reached Sydney just after 4 o’clock, alighting in Rose Bay. For some time the ’plane attracted attention while it was taxiing round the bay looking for a buoy. Finally Captain Wackett ran it up into the shallow water near the beach at the back of the Winter Garden Picture Theatre. There his brother, Squadron-Leader Wackett, was waiting to welcome him, and he was also welcomed by Mr J. A. Portus, assis-tant-manager of the British Imperial Oil 'Company. Two Seagulls commenced the flight from Melbourne, one being in charge of Flying-Officer D. Ross. Flying-Officer G. Packer, who hatf since returned by steamer, also made the flight to New Guinea. The other 'plane had engine trouble in New Guinea and a. new engine has been sent up for it. Flying-Officer. Ross will pilot it down to Australia ih about a month’s time.

Captain Wackett told a “Sydney Morning Herald” representative that no exceptional difficulties were experienced during the flight to and from New Guinea and round the coastline. Flying conditions there were very good—even better than in Australia. No difficulty was experienced in finding alighting places round the c6ast. Excellent weather was experienced except for one storm. There were no untoward incidents during any part of the flights. A report on the survey work carried out would later be submitted to the proper authorities. The work was mainly concerned with the search for oil-bearing country. Flight-Lieutenant Wackett said that this had been his first long flight and it had been a splendid experience. .