INDIAN OCEAN SURVEY FLIGHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 June 1939, Page 8

INDIAN OCEAN SURVEY FLIGHT

GROUND SURVEY OF HORSBURGH ISLAND l PA- Itv Electric Telegraph • Cupv ri«ht’ COCOS ISLAND, 10th June. The Commonwealth correspondent on the plane Guba, on an exploratory flight across the Indian Ocean, reports that a ground survey of Horsburgh Island revealed a site for a splendid natural aerodrome. A fair amount of money must be spent to bring it up to aviation requirements, but all the material required for runways is near at hand. Captain Taylor expressed the opinion that, though the passenger-carrying ocean aircraft of the future will be large flying-boats, it is quite possible that mails may be carried by land aircraft, cruising at high speed. Therefore, an aerodrome on Cocos Island was a matter of considerable importance commercially, and would be of great value for Air Force operations. Subject to the completion of the survey at Cocos, which is at present proceeding, the flying-boat Guba will leave for Diego Garcai, in the Chagos Archipelago, on Monday. The distance is 1470 miles, and the flight is expected to take about 15 hours.

The Guba hopes to establish radio communication with the hospital ship Manchester, which has been assigned b. the Admiralty to wait at Diego Garcia for the Guba.