EIGHT HOUR TRIP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20236, 2 May 1940, Page 7

EIGHT HOUR TRIP

FLIGHT FROM SYDNEY RETURN OF AOTEAROA (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. The Tasman Empire Airways flyingboat Aotearoa arrived at Auckland at 1.40 p.m., thus completing the flight from Sydney in 8 hours 10 minutes. At 10.30 a.m. New Zealand time, the Aotearoa radioed that she was flying at 9300 ft. at 173 miles an- hour and was passing through heavy rain, a thunderstorm, sleet and snow. The electrical storm forced the operator to close down the radio connection for 18 minutes. At 11.30 a.m. the Aotearoa radioed that she expected to arrive at Auckland at 2.10 p.m. The Aotearoa later radioed that she had passed out of the unfavourable weather into good flying conditions. She was about 100 miles from Auckland at 1.30-and was adhering to her predicted time of arrival. An exchange of messages between His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and the New Zealand Government in connection with the commencement of the trans-Tasman service was released at Wellington by the Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, to-day. The British message stated that the inauguration of the service afforded another indication of the successful results that could be achieved by the co-operation between the Govern-" ments of the British commonwealth. SYDNEY DEPARTURE (Reed. May 2,2 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 2. The flying boat Aotearoa left on the return flight to New Zealand at 4 o’clock this morning with five passengers and carried about 40,000 letters, including 10,000 from England. Among the letters is one of greetings from the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Alderman Crick, to the Mayor of Auckland.