TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16706, 25 July 1928, Page 2

TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHT

WHY NOT ENCOURAGE A NEW ZEALANDER? WELLINGTON’S AVIATION GROUND “Why should wo wait for Captain Kingst'ord Smith, an Australian, to fly tlie Tasman Sea ?” said Mr. H. D. Bennett when discussing the feasibility of the Lvall Bay Reserve as an air base for W ellington. “1 am very pleased to see that the Mayor is taking such an interest in this project,” continued Mr. Bennett, “as it is only right that the capital, city of New Zealand should have an air base, and that ns soon as possible. Tho writing is on the wall for all to read that within a- year or two aerial transport will be fairly common, ft- is beginning already with the importation of those wonderfully efficient Jh lie machines called Moths which make flight anywhere within New Zealand possible in decent weather. As to whether or not the l.yall Bay ground is large enough I am not quite so sure. ! have been reading Commander Byrd s book recently, and he speaks of a’ mile runaway being necessary for the lug ocean-going planes, but that distance may he shortened if a broad ramp can be provided, say, on the side of a bill. This would he quite feasible at Lya.ll Bay. as there are low lolls on the eastern sole of the hay that might he brought into use for that purpose. As for the rest, the only job we have to do is to level the sandhills and see that no buildings are erected where they would obtrude on the actual landing ground. Of course the smaller planes'do not need nearly so much room to'land or take off, but as the field develops we will probably have to remove our plant at liongotni to a position that will not- be so obstrusive as it is at present-. But these things are for the future. Still, I do think—and anyone who reads of the astonishing progress that is being made in aerial transport iii Europe and America must realise —that it is coming along fast, and that within a very few years we will have the dirigibles in the Pacific, making trips with the regularity of mail steamers. THE TASMAN CROSSING “But there is one thing I feel deeply about, and that is that tire Tasman crossing should be made by a New Zealander. Why should we have to wait for Kingsford Smith? He seems to be quite indifferent as to when lit? 1 makes the trip, and now talks of touring Australia before attempting to fly the Tasman. We have plenty of able airmen who would be only too glad to attempt the feat, and, as far as I can see it only needs financing. This is where the Government should step in. Surely the purchase of a big plane capable of flying 2000 miles would not be put of place for a Government to effect. Perhaps a little later we will have to purchase such machines for defence purposes. The honor of fathering such a performance would redound to the credit of the Government enormously. It has been proved conclusively that there are thoroughly reliable machines for these long flights, proved every clay over the National Airways in Europe and India, and the purchase of a machine capable, of travelling from Auckland to Bluff in a few hours must have its advantages on occasions of great emergency. I think the Government should take up the matter and do its share of the pioneering work in aerial transport, in this part of the world.”—Dominion.