Airliner Delayed On Auckland Run

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 204, 30 August 1938, Page 7

Airliner Delayed On Auckland Run

UNEXPECTED TRIP AND BAD WEATHER Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. An unexpected trip to Blenheim from Wellington followed by unfavourable weather on tho flight northward resulted in the north-bound Lockheed airliner of Union Airways on the AucklandWellington run reaching Maugere at 5.15 o’clock this afternoon, over two hours behind schedule. The journey was broken by an unusually long stop at New Plymouth where the pilot waited until a temporary improvement in the weather at Auckland enabled him to continue to Mangcrc. Flown by Comander BrowDjobn, the Lockheed, which was due to leave Wellington for Auckland at noon, actually left Rongotai for Blenheim at 32.15 o’clock. The trip was undertaken to maintain the Cook Strait service, the Lockheed temporarily replacing one of the de Haviland Rapides normally used on the run which did not make the trip. The monoplane left Blenheim at 1.5 p.m. for Palmerston North and continued en route to Auckland with seven passengers. On arrival at Now Plymouth Commander Brownjohn was advised by radio from Auckland that the weather at Mangere made it inadvisable to continue immediately. He accordingly waited there until au improvement was reported. Taking off eventually at 4.1 o ’clock the Lockheed made the journey to Mangere in lh. 14min., only a few minutes more than her usual time in spite of the unfavourable weather.