FLYING-BOAT RETURNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20690, 9 October 1930, Page 12

FLYING-BOAT RETURNS.

LONG TOUR COMPLETED. FACILITIES AT NELSON. , AN INTER-ISLAND SERVICE. Tho Cutty Sark, llio Now Zealand Aij; Force flying-boat, returned to tho Hobson, ville air baso from Wellington yes. terday afternoon. Boisterous weather in Wellington ' delayed departure of the fly. ing-boat, which was to havo made tho trip on Tuesday. Tho Cutty Sark leffj Wellington at noon and reached Auckland at 5.30 p.m., after stopping at New Plymouth to refuel." The actual flying time was about fivo hours, tho stop at New Plymouth occupying half an hour.

Squadron-Leader L. M, Isitt piloted the machine and ho was accompanied by Leading Air-Craftsman Syme. The trig was uneventful, the machine being flown at a low altitude for the greater part of the journey to avoid the low-lying clouds. At New Plymouth a perfect landing was made on the open water inside the break, water.

Squadron-Leader Isitt, who inspected the landing facilities- at Nelson on Sun. day, in view of a proposal to inaugurate a commercial seaplane service hetvveea Wellington and Nelson, stated last even, ing that tho harbour Nelson afforded adequate protected water for the purpose. Dominion Air Lines, the company which intends to operate the service, will use flying-boats of a similar type to tha Cutty Sark.

The flight to Wellington and Nelsoa and back to Auckland, now completed, is tho most extensive trip made by the Cutty Sark since it has been stationed at the Hobsonville air base. "Tho machine functioned perfectly throughout the tour/i said the pilot.