AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20291, 27 December 1927, Page 9

AVIATION

THE TRANSTASMAN FLIGHT. ’PLANE BEING ASSEMBLED.' (TPr#s* Association—Bj Telegraph—Copyright ) MELBOURNE, December 24. The monoplane in which the flight to New Zealand is to be made is being assembled at the Point Cook aerodrome, and is expected to be ready for a trial flight on Wednesday, and later will fly to the Richmond aerodrome, Sydney, and probably on the day of the great flight will fly to the Mascot aerodrome on the coast, where petrol will be taken aboard. The airmen intend to land at Wellington, but the choice depends on the weather conditions. The machine carries 300 gallons of petrol, enabling it to be flown 1600 to 1700 miles. The Federal Government is extending every courtesy. The New Zealand airmen’s flight will possibly start on New Year’s night. The time selected will coincide with the presence of four steamers spaced t fairly regular intervals between Australia and New Zealand. The New Zealand Government has arranged for the New Zealand naval squadron to be exercising on the coast at that time. The monoplane is named the Aotearoa. AMERICA TO EUROPE. . MRS GRAYSON’S FLIGST. NEW YORK, December 23. (Received Dec. 25, at 5.5 p.m.) Prom Roosevelt Field Mrs ' Grayson, accompanied by Oskar Omdah as pilot, and Bruce Goldsborough at navigator, hopped off for Grace Harbour this afternoon as the first leg for a flight to Europe.—A. and N.Z. Cable. THE DAWN MISSING. OVERDUE AT NEWFOUNDLAND. NEW YORK, December 24. (Received Dec. 26, at 7 p.m.) Twelve hours after it should have arrived at Newfoundland the Dawn yesterday was missing, and is believed to be adrift in the ocean. Employees of the French Cable Telegraph Station at Orleans, Massachusetts, heard an airship last night, and expressed the belief that it turned back after passing Cap e Cod. The patrol supply is thought to have been exhausted. The Dawn carried a crew of four and Frank Koehler as mechanic.—A. and N.Z. Cable. STILL NO SIGN. NEW YORK, December 25. (Received Dec. 26, at 8 p.m.) An aeroplane sent to search for Mrs Grayson’s transatlantic ’plane, the Dawn, returned to-night, and reported that it saw or heard nothing of the missing flyers.—A. and N.Z. Cable. A WIRELESS MESSAGE. ■‘SOMETHING GONE WRONG.” HALIFAX, December 23. (Received Dec. 26, at 10 p.m.) A Canadian Government wireless message from Stable Island reported communication with the missing ’plane late tonight, saying : “ Something gone wrong, but couldn’t get her owing to storm interference.”—A. and N.Z. Cable. FLIGHT OVER TURKEY. PERMISSION GIVEN. PARIS, December 23. (Received Dec. 26, at 5.5 p.m.) The permission of the Turkish authorities has been given to Colonel Antoniat, and he has continued his flight from Adalia to Aleppa.—A. and N.Z. Cable. Colonel Antoniat and his companions were arrested in Adalia for allegedly flying over Turkish territory without permission. MRS LINDBERGH. FLYING BACK TO DETROIT. MEXICO CITY, December 25. (Received Dec. 26, at 10 p.m.) Colonel Lindbergh and his mother spent a quiet Christmas at the American Embassy with the Ambassador. Mrs Lindbergh will fly back to Detroit next week and resume teaching, while her eon will commence a visit to South America.—A. and N.Z. Cable.