AVIATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 31

AVIATION

WAKEFIELD AREOPLANE.

BLENHEIM, February. 26. Advice has been received bv the Marlfe r ? u = h ,,A ero Club that Sir Charles W akeneld s aeroplane, which was ’ presented to the New Zealand Government tor the encouragement of civil aviation, lias ,been allotted to Marlborough. The machine, which is now at Soekburn, is to be flown to Blenheim on March 8 in readiness for handing over to the club by the Minister jm the following day. the club is already flying its first machine, and the second is expected in about a fortnight, so that it will shortly have three aeroplanes in its fleet. ENGLAND TO NEW ZEALAND. AUCKLAND, February 27. Arrangements for an attempt to make one of the most ambitious aerial voyages yet planned—a flight from England to New Zealand—have been progressing during the last three months, and advice was received by Auckland supporters on Monday that Pilot F. Mace, who is in England, would be ready to start within a

few days. The project originated with an advertisement last year in which Mr Mace, a former captain of the Royal Air Force with very high qualifications, sought support for a long-distance flight. A syndicate of 10 Auckland business men was formed to proceed with Mr Mace’s offer to attempt to fly from Great Britain in a light machine of the Moth or Avro type. Finance up to almost twice the price of a light machine was arranged, and a company was registered in Auckland as Aviation Limited.

Mr Mace left Auckland in December. On his arrival in England he investigated the features of several light planes as yet unknown in New Zealand, with the intention of securing the exclusive agency for the benefit of the syndicate in the event of a successful flight. A Simmonds “ Spartan ” two-seater was purchased, and alterations were made to increase the petrol capacity for a long “ bop,” such as from Australia to' New Zealand. On Monday Mr Mace reported by cablegram that he had completed arrangements with the Air Ministry, an< was negotiating with three petrol companies.

“ It is a sporting venture, and if it is successful it will be a great achievement for the pilot,” said a member of the syndicate. “It waa agreed from the first that everything should be kept secret until the last minute. It is our hope that the plane will serve as the nucleus for a commercial venture. All the preparations for the flight have been launched, and spare parts and a reserve engine are provided for.”

Mr Mace intends to fly via the Vienna, Karachi, Singapore route as followed by Captain Hinkler, and if he can keep the schedule he would complete the flight before the end of March. The journey will be made solo, and Mr Mace is confident of his ability to navigate the Tasman. When he first considered undertaking a' long-distance flight he received a very high recommendation from Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard.

The Simmonds “ Spartan ” is a machine which was put into production by a Southampton company a few months ago. It is equipped with a four-eylindet 85-90 h.p. “ Cirrus ” engine. Its first conspicuous performance was a non-stop flight from Berlin to London, a distance of 600 miles, in six hours. The plane can land at a speed of 38-miles per hour, and it is constructed with the orthodox type of folding wings. It is selfing in England for £620.