GREAT AIR JOURNEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20244, 2 May 1929, Page 16

GREAT AIR JOURNEY.

THROUGH HEART OF AFRICA. GIANT FOKKER MACHINE. [FROM our OWN 1 correspondent. ] CAPETOWN, March 2. Passengers alighting from a liner could not have been nioro spick and span than Mr. Van Lear Black, the American millionaire aviator, and his pilots when they stepped out of their giant Fokkcr aeroplane after flying from London to Capetown. From Cairo, through the heart of Africa, and down through Rhodesia and the Union, the aeroplane travelled without striking unpleasant weather. "I have not found Africa hot. In fact, the only tiling wo lacked in the air was more overcoats," was Mr. Black's comment on the weather. "Flying in tho stormy weather in Europe, I could not keep my seat in my basket chair in tho saloon on my machine. I' was often thrown up from tho seat, and my. head knocked tho ceiling; but," lie said, "in Africa I have sat in perfect comfort, reading and sleeping when the scenery lias not kept mo at tho window."

Mr. Black says, he is anxious to refute the idea of Ins machine being a luxury aeroplane. "Those who have said that I am flying purely for pleasure," ho said, "are missing the point altogether, for I am out to show that flying is as sound a means of communication as steamships or trains. I. set out to prove my case 18 months ago, and I have shown that this piano could pay for its keep and return a good dividend. My object is now to see as much of the world as possible. I am 25 years older than any ono of my friends who fly with me, but those who have said that I intend spending tho rest of my life in pleasure arc wrong." The Fokkcr is a self-contained unit. It is capable of carrying a commercial load of two and a-half tons. All spares that could be wanted on Mr. Black's journeys are carried in the luggage apartment and, should a forced landing with damage occur at any point on his route, temporary repairs cauld be carried out.

"While I am in the air the pilot is tho boss," said Mr. Black. "Ever since I tried flying a machine myself from London to Paris I have stuck to this principle.'!