ARRIVAL AT MASCOT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 12

ARRIVAL AT MASCOT

EARLIER THAN EXPECTED TRIP OF LITTLE INTEREST CHIEF PILOT'S STATEMENT (Received March 30, 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 30 The arrival from New Zealand at Mascot aerodrome of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his companions in the Southern Cross at 3.15 p.m. to-day was wholly unexpected. His reception, consequently, was comparatively quiet. However, the 50,000 people at the Royal Show, when made aware of his presence overhead at 3 p.m. by means of amplifiers, gave hearty cheers, and expressed the greatest admiration for the famous airman. After making a perfect landing in ideal weather from among a group of escorting aeroplanes, Sir Charles received his baby sou from its nurse. In response to related inquiries from journalists and others, he said: "I have done the Tasman trip so often now that there is very little of interest. We had a nice trip to Lord Howe Island, but not so good after that." The crew stepped from the "old bus" and began to handle the mails —25,000 New Zealand, letters —in a most casual way. Afterwards they went home. The Southern Cross was in constant wireless communication throughout the trip with Sydney and with the Wanganella, on which Lady Smith was a passenger. The time occupied on the journey is estimated at 13 hours 25 minutes. NAVIGATOR PRAISED ACCURACY OF RECKONING MAIL DELIVERY DELAYED (Received March 30, 10.35 p.m.) SYDNEY. March 30 In an interview to-dav Sir Charles Kingsford Smith said the Southern Cross passed close to the Wanganella, but the crew could not see the vessel owing to bad visibility. The feature of the trip, added Sir Charles, was the splendid navigation of Captain Taylor, which enabled them to hit Lord Howe Island in the dead centre and later to strike Sydney Harbour and Heads exactly in the middle. "If we had not flown over Lord Howe Island we could have accomplished the journey in less than 13 hours," said the airman. Unfortunately, the New Zealand letters brought in the Southern Cross missed the Thursday afternoon delivery in Sydney. Consequently they are held up until to-morrow owing to the Good Friday holiday intervening." THIRD FASTEST TRIP RECORDS OF CROSSINGS The time taken by the Southern Cross for the transtasman flight on Thursday, 13h 25m, is the third fastest among the nine direct crossings of the Tasman by air. The fastest time for the flight was made in 1931 by Mr. Guv Menzies, who made a secret solo flight in the Southern Cross Junior from Sydney to the west coast of the South Island in 12h 12m. The times taken on the various direct flights across the Tasman are as follows: — Year Time Mr. Guy Mouzics . . . . 1031 12h 12m Southern Cross to Australia 1033 131 i 9m Southern Cross to Australia 1934 13h 25m Southern Cross to N.Z. . . 1933 14h 10m Faith in Australia—toAustralia 1034 J4h 10m <o New Zealand . . . . 1933 14Vi '23 m Southern Cross to N.Z. . . 19'2S 14li 25m Southern Cross to N.Z. . . 1934 15h 25m Southern Cross to Australia 1928 22h 51m