GASMAN FLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21386, 10 January 1933, Page 11

GASMAN FLIGHT

THE SOUTHERN CROSS landing preparations IfIEW PLYMOUTH AERODROME 1 PLANS FOR RADIO MESSAGES [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday Preparations for the arrival of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith at New Ply. mouth after his flight across the Tasman in the Southern Cross are practically complete and the landing ground is in readiness for the giant monoplane. Comprehensive plans 'concerning wireless communication with the fliers from the time they leave Gerringong Beach on Thursday morning, and the control of the vast number oit people expected to gather at the aerodrome have been formulated and an official reception arranged. The aerodrome is one of the few in New Zealand that could accommodate the Southern Cross under long flight conditions, and an added advantage lies in the fact that it is the nearest aerodrome • in New Zealand to Sydney. The ground is six miles from New Plymouth and adjoins the main north road to Waitara and Auckland at a point just beyond the village of Bell Block, with the sea coast abbut three miles to the west. It has been classed by the New Zealand Government cis an A 1 landing ground, and since that time a considei'able sum of money has been expended in improvements. After Sir Charles signified his intention of landing at New Plymouth approximately £9OO was spent in levelling and filling in depressions to increase the available area of flying ground. In addition to first-class approaches, the aerodrome is provided with many other amenities for the comfort and entertainment if members .and visitors. Position of Aerodrome From Mount Egmont, which Sir Charles is using as his New Zealand objective, tte landing ground lies in a north-easterly direction. Its present extent is 60 acres, but the removal of wire boundary fences would increase the area to over 100 acres Df first-class land. It is of quadrilateral shape with somewhat irregular dimensions. The shortest runway on the ground in use is one of 500 yards, which is considered by experts to be sufficient for a pilot with the skill of Sir Charles to land the big monoplane without difficulty. The most awkward landing would be an approach from roughly south-west to north-east, for the monoplane would have to be kept fairly high to clear power lines on Te Arei Road, which branches off the main north road and provides the field with a diagonal boundary on its southvest side. However, a north-easterly wind ili, uncommon in the locality and in such a contingency boundary fences to the north-past would be removed in order to ensure ample space for a safe descent. . ■ The main building comprises the hangar proper, a spacious clubroom with windows on threo sides, a pilots' room, kitchen, instructor's office, fabric doping room, storeroom, locker and cloak room. The workshops are at one end of the hangar building and the social rooms at the other. Accommodating Visitors Out-of-doors there is a hard-surfaced tennis court and a nine-hole golf course which runs over small gullies and other land, unsuitable for flying, skirting the main landing ground. The greens are now in readiness for winter play. The clubroom is comfortably furnished and a wireJess set has been installed for members. For the accommodation of the crowd an area, adjoining Te Arei Road is fenced off and a parking area provided near by. As soon as the Southern Cross arrives it will be taxied into a circular enclosure round which people will be able to move without touching the machine. Steps have been taken to prevent encroachment upon the landing ground when the monoplane is brought in, for it is anticipated that there will be a large number of visiting aeroplanes, whose pilots will have to land after -welcoming the Southern Cross. The Railway Department will run trains from New Plymouth to the Nina Road crossing in the vicinity of the aero drome. / Wireless Arrangements What is practically a sound-proof building has been erected on the tennis court to house thei wireless apparatus, and there Mr; L. Birch, the New Plymouth amateur in charge of the North Island control station, will tap out weather reports and other advice to amateurs in Sydney. Messages to Mr. J. S. W. Stannage, the wireless operator on the Southern Cross, will have to be relayed from Wellington as short-wave reception on the monoplane is impossible through electrical interference from the engines. Under the same roof Mr. E. Easthope, a telegraphist in the New Plymouth post office, will be picking up progress reports and replies from Mr. Stannage by medium of powerful short-wave receivers. A temporary wireless station erected on the .Gerringong Beach by amateurs of the Sydney Zero Beat Club will also be in constant touch with the Southern Cross -and the New Plymouth control station. Loud-speakers are to be utilised to keep the public in touch with the progress of the flight, and these will be operated from another building. It is understood that another building is to be used by officers of the Post and Telegraph Department who will be at the aerodrome.

An official reception is to be held shortly after the Southern Cross is landed, and representatives from New aero clubs, Parliament, Defence and other Government departments, as well as the representatives of many public bodies, have been invited to attend.