BACK IN SYDNEY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 March 1938, Page 5

BACK IN SYDNEY.

TRIP RATHER BUMPY ONE. LEAVING AGAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 'By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright) Received Monday, 8 p.m. SWDNEY, March 21.

Flying Officer A. E. Clouston landed at Mascot at 4 p.m. Mr. Clouston ’« machine was seen approaching Kingsford Smith Aerodrome, where a'largo crowd had been waiting since midday, from the north-east a few r minutes before 4 o ’clock. Mr. Clouston circled the aerodrome twice before landing ami then taxied the machine to the hangar. In a broadcast shortly after landing, Mr. Clouston referred to the warm reception accorded him at Blenheim yesterday and to his take-off to-day. He said he circled Nelson and Motueka and saw the school children come out to see the machine. He then climbed to 7000 feet and set a course for Sydney. The sky for half the journey was clouded, and he had to battle against a head wind of 50 to GO miles an hour. Consequently, he took about 1$ houis longer than expected. When he did sight land as he emerged from a bank of cloud he saw Sydney bridge immediately ahead, so was not far out in his reckoning. Mr. Clouston said the machine would immediately receive attention and he would leave again as soon as possible in continuation of his trip to Englano Mr. Ricketts, who accompanied Mr. Clouston, said the trip across the Tasman was bumpy, and he was very pleased to see the coaar,.

1 MIGHT HAVE BEEN DISASTER. DEFECT FOUND IN PLANE WELLINGTON. Last Night. The faulty replacement at Sydney of the rear portion of the cowling around the starboard engine of the Ooxnl&t, in which Flying Officer Olouston and Mr. Ricketts made their record flight from Gravesend to Blenheim, may have caused a serious disaster, if not tragedy, while the aviators were crossing the Tasman Sea or landing at Blenheim on Sunday. During an inspection of the machine by Cook Strait Airways ground staff early this morning it was discovered that the rear half of the cowling had been screwed over instead of under the lip of the adjoining half, and that, it had worked itself loose. The aviators landed and left, it is believed, in ignorance of the misfitted cowling and its subsequent proper adjustment. The rear portion of the cowling rests beneath the right-hand wing and envelops an oil tank and part of the star: board engine. It is made secure by three screws, two of which were quite loose when the machine landed at BlenEeim, and the other beginning to work its way out from inside the block. It would be impossible to a trained eye to overlook the mal-adjustment of the cowling in daylight, but it is thought that, when the Comet was at Mascot being refuelled and inspected at night by the ground staff there, its inspection after being replaced must have been neglected. Precisely what damage the cowling would have done to the plane if it had worked loose and was torn off while the machine was in flight is fairly difficult to estimate, but, according to the opinions of Wellington it could possibly have damaged the tail of the machine or wing, prevented the landing gear from operating or interfered with the cooling system of the engine, causing a stoppage. It was only a small matter to replace the cowling correctly.

DEPARTS POR DARWIN. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) ■SYDNEY, This Day. Clouston left Mascot aerodrome at 3.39 this morning for Darwin. The weather was perfectly calm. He is due at Darwin this afternoon after stopping at either Charlesville or Cloncurry. BROADBBNT LEAVES FOR AUSTRALIA Received Monday, S p.nx. BATAVIA, March 21. The aviator, Mr. H. F. Broadbent, left for Australia aboard a Qantas 'plane. _______