Pioneering Flights

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 62, 15 March 1937, Page 6

Pioneering Flights

AIR-LINER MAKES TRIP TO AUCKLAND AND BACK.

The tremendous advantage of air travel over other forms of transit was rather forcibly demonstrated yesterdav when the Karoro, Union Airways 1 liner, flew direct from Auckland to Palmerston North in 1 hour 50 minutes. Had the passengers been in a car, they may have got as far south as Hamilton in that time or, if passengers in the Limited, not even that far. The Karoro left Auckland at 4.15 p.m. and lauded at Miison at 6.5 p.m., making the speedy journey under good flying conditions. The air-liner was taken north on Friday, on a pioneering flight over the route to be followed by machines in the Wellington-Auckland service towards the end of the ' year. The journey north was made via New Plymouth in 2 hours 11 minutes. The passengers were: Messrs. C. G. White, a director of the Union Steam Ship Company; J. N. Gleenland, general manager of the Union Steam Ship Company; F. M. Clarke, general manager of Union Airways; N. Lecher, of Palmerston North; J. B. Smillie, of Palmerston North; W. J. Jennings, Union Airways traffic officer; L. L. White, reporter and photographer on the staff of the New Zealand Herald. The crew comprised Mr. B. A. Blythe, chief pilot; FlightLieut. A. G. Gerrand, pilot; FlyingOfficer K. A. Brownjoiin, co-pilot; Messrs. L. Maugham, chief engineer; H, Maugham, engineer; C. H. Jones, engineer.

During the whole of the flight the airliner was in radio touch with Palmerston and Auckland.