LAST SOLENT ARRIVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27259, 9 December 1949, Page 8

LAST SOLENT ARRIVES

RECORD TASMAN CROSSING WORKMANSHIP HIGHLY PRAISED PA AUCKLAND, Dec. 8. After A record crossing of the Tasman, Aotearoa 11, the last Solent of the Tasman Empire Airways fleet, arrived in Auckland today. Her “ oncourse time ” from overhead at Sydney to over Mechanics Bay was shr lOmin. One of the old Empire class planes, the Awarua, established the old record in 1946, when she was commanded by Captain D. W. G. Keesing. She made the crossing in shr 15min. Captain I. C. Patterson, senior TEAL captain, commanded Aotearoa II for the flight from Southampton. Captain Patterson said he had been surprised at the speed of the Solents and thought they had averaged good time for the whole trip. They met little bad weathpr and experienced no trouble.

“This is a happy event for Tasman Airways,” said the general manager, Mr G. N. Roberts. “The name Aotearoa was carried by our first flying boat and we are pleased to have it again. The Solents are a marvellous example of British workmanship. All the four delivered * have made good time and they have come from England without any serious mechanical troubles."

Aotearoa II was launched by Princess Elizabeth.

Captain H. L. M. Glover, senior British Overseas Airways flying boat captain, is convinced that Tasman Empire Airways has the best aircraft available. A former New Zealander, he returned yesterday on the Aotearoa II for a short visit.

“It is the extra power that makes these planes so good,” he said. “These Solents are fast and comfortable.” Having flown Solents himself en route to South Africa, Captain Glover is well qualified to judge. He said pilots had no qualms about flying the large aircraft over the African continent. “We stand just as much show as a land plane if we have to come down in the bush,” he continued. “In fact, the Solent’s thick hull would probably give it more protection.” Captain Glover left New Zealand in 1930 to join the Royal Air Force. In 1937 he joined Imperial Airways, and has been with British civil aviation ever since. Born in Dunedin, Captain Glover was to leave for the south today to visit his mother.