AVIATORS DEAD-BEAT

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10966, 15 October 1928, Page 5

AVIATORS DEAD-BEAT

THE VIGIL AT RICHMOND FAILURE OF FLOODLIGHTS. SYDNEY. October 14. Flight-Lieutenant Ulm appeared least affected by the long hours of anxious work aboard the- ’plane. Kingsford-Smith acknowledged he was dead-beat. He looked haggard and worn, which was no wonder, after the strain of such a journey. Several thousand people remained throughout the night awaiting the flyers, passing the time in a variety of ways. Cars were pressed into service as card rooms, while music of a hundred varieties resounded around the ’drome. The night was dark and thick at times, with low-hanging clouds. As a result the guiding lights were not easily picked up from aloft. When word came that the ’plane had passed over Newcastle, sighs of relief ascended from many breasts, only to be succeeded by a period of tense anxidty, when it appeared," from the ’plane’s long silence, that she had missed the landmarks and was groping through the black night to find them. Then came reports that the Southern Cross had passed over Woy Woy, Wyong and Gosford. The airmen asked if there was a fog over Richmond. and were told “No.” Another hiatus followed, lasting nearly an hour, till a little before two o’clock, a message came that the petrol was practically down to the last drop and the craft must land soon and hoped to do so at 2.15. At 1.55 a.m., the ’plane passed over Roseville, on the North Shore line and just 20 minutes later, these argonauts of the air came out of the dark into the effulgence of many powerful floodlights positioned around Richmond aerodrome. The ’jilane’s huge wings were silhouetted . against the faint background of the night sky that had grown grey, as the clouds showed rifts here and there. A PERFECT LANDING. The whirr of propellers and the acclamation of spectators made an accompaniment t 0 the most unique act ever staged by human agencies in Australia, then “Smithy,” for by this familiar title he will always be known to the people, brought the Southern Cross down gently, as if doing an exercise in broad daylight. It was a perfect landing and a fitting end 'to a wonderful adventure. Among the incidents of the evening at Richmond, the one of a most startling character was the failure of the flood-lighting system from ten o’clock to 11.30 o’clock. The j mechanics worked feverishly till the light was restored. The danger of their absence if the ’plane arrived before they were restored was fully realised and motor-cars were ranged round the field, with headlights blazing, while tile huge red flares were burned high in the air to mark the danger zone. LIGHTS ON IN TIME. Fortunately, the lights were restored in ample time. When the ’plane appeared, further aid to her pilot was afforded by the ignition of a number of oil and petrol flares, which created great black smoke streams, indicating the direction and strength of the wind. All these precautions proved mostvaluable and the airmen feel greatly indebted for the great work tliev did. MRS ULAI’S FAITH. One of the most cheerful people in Richmond yesterday was Airs Ulm, who listened all day t 0 the spasmodic recitals of the Southern Cross’s progress. Never once did she have a doubt regarding the issue of the flight. “Charlie will gee here all right,” she declared. He did and her feminine faith and intuition was vindicated. Among the spectators was Captain Frank Hurley, who shortly starts on a flight to England and back in the machine named the -Spirit of Australia, which Mrs Ulm inspected during the day at Richmond, where it has just undergone satisfactory final tests.