To-day's Flight

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 77, 2 April 1937, Page 7

To-day's Flight

New Zealanders Guests Of Pan-American Airways RETURN JOURNEY TO BE DIRECT. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. While a harbour inspection was being made, other members of the crew of the Clipper, assisted by aircraftsmen from Hobsonville air base and oil companyexperts, were putting the finishing touches on the giant flying-boat in preparation for the flight to Wellington. The Clipper was berthed alongside the floating barge in Mechanics’ Bay and was tho scene of constant activity throughout the morning. A number of passengers will be the guests of the eom|)uny on the flight to Wellington. They will include WingCommander Hon. R. A. Cochrane, who arrived at Auckland by air, WingCommander T. M. Wilkes, SquadronLeader M. Buckley, the SolicitorGeneral, Mr 11. H. Cornish, who played a prominent part in the negotiations which led to the agreement between tho Pan-American Company and the New Zealand Government, Mr D. Holderness, superintendent of the Auckland Harbour Board, Dr. Macky, of the Government meteorological office, Mr F. M. Clarke, general manager of Union Airways, Limited, Mr T. S. Withers, who has acted as personal assistant to Mr Gatty in Auckland. Mr Gatty will also travel in the Clipper. The departure for Wellington will be made at 7 o ’clock this morning, setting course for New Plymouth. The weather reports indicate that conditions in Wellington harbour will be favourable for a landing there and the Clipper experts to arrive about .10 o’clock. Members of the crew will attend two functions which have boon arranged in their honour and will leave again for Auckland at 2 o’clock.

The Clipper may pass over several North Island towns on the trip to Wellington, but tho return flight will be made direct.

A comprehensive survey of Waitemata harbour with a view to selecting a site for the proposed flying-boat base was made by Captain "Musick, Commander of the Pan-American Clipper, and officers of the company. Arrangements were also finalised for the Clipper’s courtesy flight to Wellington tomorrow, and for her final departure on Saturday morning on her return to San Francisco.

In an inspection of possible base sites, both land and harbour views were obtained of suggested localities. Mr Harold Gatty, representative of PanAmerican Airways in New Zealand, accompanied by Captain Musick and the other officers to the summit of Mount Eden this morning. Conditions were ideal for a panoramic view of the harbour and its approaches find the party was able to pick out various landmarks and establish their relationship to possible areas which may be used as tho southern terminal of the trans-Pacific air line.

Subsequently the party drove along Waterfront road and then cruised down the harbour in an Auckland Hartour Board launch. Various details were discussed, but recommendations as to where the proposed base should be •situated must be submitted to the head office of the company in New York before any decision can be announced. The company’s experts who made tho inspection agree that a base in tho upper harbour would be out of tho question, and that the site to be select ed must be one of several to the east of tho wharves. This view conforms with that of other experts who have previously given attention to tho matter. CLIPPER LEAVES AT DAWN TO-MORROW AUCKLAND, Last Night. The decision that the clpper will take off before dawn on Saturday on the return flight to America was made this morning by Captain Musick. Mr. Harold Gatty will travel in the ’plane and return to New Zealand by steamer later. Again to-day there was a constant stream of people to inspect the ’plane, which was riding gracefully at its moorings. The ’plane is guarded day and night by members of the crew. Mechanics to-day are checking every part of the great engines in readiness for the flight to Wellington to-morrow. A CLIPPER TO SYDNEY 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF CITY Received Thursday, 10.30 p.m. SYDNEY, April 1. Officials in charge of the New South Wales 150th anniversary celebrations are, according to the Sun, considering the continuation to Sydney of the flight of one of the clippers from San Francisco.