A PIONEER FLIGHT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 March 1929, Page 6

A PIONEER FLIGHT.

ENGLAND TO THE DOMINION. ATTEMPT IN LIGHT PLANE. Arrangements for an attempt to make one of the most ambitious aerial voyages yet planned—a flight from England to New Zeaalnd —have been pro-. gressing during the last three months, and advice was received by the Auckland supporters on Monday that the pilot, Mr P. Maee, who is in England, would be ready to start within a few davs, says the “Auckland Herald.’’ Last year Mr Maee, a formeT captain of the" Royal Air Force, with very high qualifications, sough support for a longdistance flight. A syndicate of 10 Auckland business men was formed to proceed with Mr Mace’s offer to attempt to fly from Great Britain in a light machine of th_e Moth or Avro type. Finance up to almost twice the price of a light machine was arranged and a company was registered in Auckland as Aviation, Limited. Mr Maee left Auckland in December. . ■ On arrival in England he investigated the features of several light planes as yet unknown in New Zealand, with the intention of securing the exclusive agency for the benefit of the syndicate in the event of a successful flight. A Simmonds Spartan two-seater was purchased and alterations were made to increase the petrol capacity for a long “hop,” such as from Australia to New Zealand. On Monday Mr Maee reported by cablegram that he had completed arrangements with the Air Ministry and was negotiating with three petrol companies. ] Mr Mace intends to fly the Vienna-Karaclii-'Singapore route, as followed by j Hinkler, and if he can keep schedule he would complete the flight before the end of March. The journey will be made solo and Mr Mace is confident of his ability to navigate the Tasman. When lie first considered undertaking a. long-distance flight he received a very high recommendation from Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard. The Simmonds Spartan is a machine which was put into production by a Southampton company a few months ago. It is equipped with a fourcylinder 85-90 h.p. Cirrus engine. Its first conspicuous performance was a non-stop flight from Berlin to London, i a distance of 600 miles in six hours. The plane can land at 39 m.p.li., and it is constructed with the orthodox type of folding wings. It is selling in England for £620.