SURVEY FLIGHT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 101, 29 March 1939, Page 9

SURVEY FLIGHT

AUSTRALIA TO AFRICA. DEFENCE VALUE. ALTERNATIVE AIR ROUTE. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received March 29, 8.5 a.m. SYDNEY, March 29. A survey flight across the Indian Ocean from Onslow (on the north-west coast of Australia) to Mombasa (on the east coast of South Africa) is being sponsored by the Commonwealth Government. The survey will begin next June, and the route will be via Cocos Island, thence to Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, and Port Victoria Mahe in the Seychelles. Making this announcement to-night, the Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr Thorby) said that the flight was designed to ascertain the defence and civil aviation value of this route as an alternative to the present air route to England in the event of an emergency, 'the Government, he added, has chartered from Ur Richard Archbold (research associate of the American Museum of Natural Histoiy) a long-range flying-boat, the Uuba, and Captain P. G. Taylor, the prominent Australian aviator, will have charge of the entire flight and its preparations. Captain P. G. Taylor, who accompanied tho late Air-Commodore bn- Chaiics Kingsford Smith on many of Ins mosfamous (lights, is regarded as one ot the foremost navigators in the woild. ,tL ! J tain Taylor first joined the Southern Crow and flew the Tasman in company witli tno late Sir Charles and Mr J. S. W. S tannage, who is now a resident of Auckland, on .January 11, 1953. They flew from Gorinrroim Beach to New Plymouth with Messis s K Nielson (then secretary of “ 1(! P e ! v Plymouth Aero Club) and S. 1 erciyal, junr., (Sydney) as passengers. Tlio time taken for tho trip was 14hr smin. cti March 26 of the same year ho again accompanied the crew of the Southern Gross when they flew from Ninety Mile Beach, North Auckland, to Mascot (Sydney) in 13hr lOmin. Un January 13, liM, tho Southern Gross made the trip from Richmond to New Plymouth, arriving 15hr. 25mm. later after taking oil. Un March 29 they flew back again.. By far the most spectacular part ni the history of Tasman aviation was played by Captain tl aylor on tlio histone flight'of a few years ago when, owing to one of the engines running out of oil, Sir Cliarles was forced to return to Sydney alter being nearly half-way across. On tliis occasion, Captain Taylor earned world-wick} praise for his great daring and courage when he climbed out on to tho wing while the ’plane was over the sea and saved the crew from what appealed inevitable, a watery grave, by pouring on into the engine. He did this several times. For his bravery he was decorated.