PACIFIC FLIGHT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 29 September 1927, Page 5

PACIFIC FLIGHT

CAPTAIN SMITH’S PLANS TO START FROM OAKLAND. THE ROUTE TO BE TAKEN. (By Cable — Press Assn. — Copyright.) (Received 29, 11.5 a.m.) New York, Sept. 28. Captain Kingsford Smith will hop off from Seattle either on Sunday or Monday morning for Oakland Airport, which is to be the starting point for his flight to Australia. The ’plane will fly from Seattle to Fort Lewis, Tacoma, in its first jump, and then be fuelled for a non-stop flight to Oakland. Lieut. Smith and Mr. Ulm will ride as passengers to Oakland, D. Philip Saltzman having been engaged to pilot the ship to California. Saltzman has charge of the reconditioning of the ’plane for the Australian flight. Captain Smith revealed the route he will take across the Pacific. He said: “We will hit out from Oakland for Honolulu on our first hop. I hope we shall set a now mark for this trip. Our ship should make 105 miles an hour, and this should do the trick. The next jump is to New Guinea; this is going to be the real test of the ’plane, and we can breathe with relief when that is over. From Now Guinea we fly to Normanton, Queensland. The next hop, which will complete the journey, will be to Brisbane.’'’ Captain Smith stated that besides himself, Mr. Ulm, Lieut. Anderson, and another Australian now on his way to Oakland, will join the flight. The latter’s name he did not yet know. Lieut. Anderson is already at Oakland awaiting the ’plane. EVERY PRECAUTION TAKEN. Captain Smith said: “We are taking every precaution to guard against mishaps at sea. Our gasolene tanks are fixed so that we shall use our 800 gallon holder first. If we are forced down we shall be able to use it to float the 'plane. Then we have three smaller tanks which can also be used as floats if necessary. If we use the radio it will be installed at Oakland. The ’plane, although completely overhauled and tuned up in Seattle, will be taken down and gone over again in Oakland. We are doing this thing right because we want the ship to be in perfect condition.” The ’plane is now carefully guarded day and night at Seattle. Spectators are not allowed to view it. HOP OFF ON OCTOBER 10th. Lieut. Keith V. Anderson, the aviator of the party, arrived at San Francisco from Honolulu. He says he has selected the Barking Sands field on the island of Kauai as the Hawaiian point of departure for the 3800-miles hop to New Britain Island. The ’plane, which will probably be christened the S uthem Cross, has five tanks of a capacity of 1400 gallons, making the craft’s total weight 15,000 pounds fully loaded. She will start from Oakland on October 10th or 12th if the weather is good.—(A. and N.Z.)

BENTLEY’S CAPETOWN FLIGHT.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 29, 11.15 a.m.) Rugby, Sept. 28. Lieutenant Bentley this afternoon completed his 8000 miles flight from Croydon to Capetown in a- light Moth aeroplane. He had an enthusiasticreception. The last stage from Victoria west was flown against a 70 miles an hour gale. AUCKLAND-BRISBANE FLIGHT. ALL ARRANGEMENTS MADE. (Received 29, 9.40 a.m.) Brisbane, Sept. 29.

Final arrangements have been made for Lieutenant Frewen’s trans-Tasman flight. He leaves Brisbane on Friday and flies to Sydney; He ships the aeroplane to Auckland, whence he commences a flight to Brisbane via Norfolk Island as soon as possible.