AIR TRIP COMPLETED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 10

AIR TRIP COMPLETED.

WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND.

JOURNEY IN THREE STAGES.

TWO HOURS FROM ROTORUA.

Following an unhurried journey by Avro-Avian aeroplane from Wellington Mr. G. D. M. Goodwim of the Goodwin Chichester Aviation Company, Wellington, and Captain G. Bolt, pilot, landed at Mangere shortly before two o'clock yesterday afternoon. The journey was made in three stages, the first stop being at Waipukurau and the next at Rotorua, where Sunday was spent. The machine left Wellington on Friday. The last "hop," from Rotorua to Auckland, was made in hours. Strong head winds were encountered on the journey. Captain Bolt circled over Arapuni and a number of photographs of the works were taken. The landing at Mangere was perfectly executed. After a short stop on the ground the machine was flown to the Aero Club's ground at Ihumata and was housed for the night in the hangar. The machine is of the same type as that used by Mr. Bert Hinkler in his flight from England to Australia. It is the first of the kind which has come to Auckland. The company has landed three of the machines in New Zealand, this —the latest one—having recently b<en unpacked and reassembled in Wellington. Unlike its predecessors it possesses the new Handley-Page slotted wings safety device. This is an automatic device which prevents the machine after taking-off from nose-diving or spinning. Proving the effectiveness of the device at Rotorua Captain Bolt hung in tlje air by keeping the machine at the same speed as the wind. Short trips over the city will be undertaken by Captain Bolt, who was formerly an officer in the New Zealand Flying School. "The public is only just becoming educated to flying and it will be about two years before private machines are purchased to any extent," said Mr. Goodwin in discussing the prospects of civil aviation in New Zealand. At present there was no ready sale for machines, but in two years the position would be considerably altered. The public had not yet come to realise the comparative cheap ness of the aeroplane and its relatively small running costs and upkeep. Aero clubs were doing much in the direction of encouraging civil aviation, but private enterprise was also needed. Mr. Goodwin said the Auckland Club was fortunate in having such a satisfactory ground as Ihumata at its disposal. It was a relief to get the machine under proper cover after it had been necessary to stake it out under trees on the journey north. 'The Wellington Club would shortly be spending £28,000 on a ground. To obtain a good landing-place there it was necessary to level sand hills and turf the ground. Lacking the natural facilities the club was not so well placed as Auckland.