AEROPLANES ON TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 12

AEROPLANES ON TOUR.

ARRIVAL AT HASTINGS.

JOURNEY FROM WELLINGTON.

VISITS PAID EN ROUTE

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER,] HASTINGS. Saturday.

Tho Auckland Aoro Club's touring party arrived at Hastings at 11.55 a.m. to-day after (wo stops on tho trip from Wellington. The threo Moths loft Wellington at 7.20 a.m. in ftno weather with a slight head wind. The machines flew up the Hutt Valley between tho rugged country. Trentham was passed at 7.40 a.m. Tho valley affords excellent flying country, but there is little latitude on cither sido unless ono is prepared for serious flying over rough territory with no emergency areas within vision of tho human eye.

Skipping over (ho lower hills tho machines appcarod almost to touch lightly on tho peaks. To pass over tho Rimutakas tho .Moths climbed to 3400 ft.. and then tho (ops of the range were passed only a few hundred feet below. The Wairarapa Lake camo into view and tho Moths dropped to tho cultivated country leaving the snow-flcckcd highlands behind.

At 8 a.m. a landing was made on an excellent paddock at Martinborough where the party was welcomed-by tho Mayor. This is a fino area of about 500 yards each way and (he approaches were ideal. Tho machines took off after five minutes and travelled over tho easy undulating country past Carterton. A landing was mado at Mastorton at 8.25 o'clock on a fino paddock of about 40 chains by 32 chains within two miles of (he town. The visitors were welcomed by tho Mayor, Mr. T. Jordan, and byMr. W. L. Free, president of tho Wairarapa Aero Club. This club has been very fortunate in tho loan of good grounds and a further area about four miles from tho town is available. The intention of tho club is to provide facilities which will onablo the Wellington Club to send a training machine to tho district. The party left at 10.25 a.m. and passed ever beautiful (lying country bordering the river looking east and west. Rough hills and uninviting ground could bo seen for miles on each sido of tho narrow belt. The aeroplanes passed over Pahiatua and Dannovirko and at Takapau tho Hawko's Bay Club's Simmouds-Spartan two-seater was seen coming to meet the trio. Tho pilot, Captain T. White, escorted the visitors to Hastings where they wero wolcomed by Sir Andrew Russell and (ho Mayor, Air. G. F. Roach. Tho afternoon was spent in exhibition (lying and the machines will remain at Hastings until Monday mornnig.