LONG FLIGHT PLANNED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17909, 13 October 1932, Page 3

LONG FLIGHT PLANNED

FILM MAGNATE'S TOUB TRIP OF 30,000 MILES On the after-deck of tho mailboat which passed through Auckland on Monday on her way to Sydney was a giant monoplane, swathed in canvas coverings. Xu it three of the ship’s passengers will leave Sydney next week-end on one of the longest commercial flights yet attempted. Tho party comprises Mr. Arthur M. knew, vice-president in charge of the foreign department of MetroGold wyn-May or, '.Limited, Capt. James B. Dickson, a well-known American pilot, and Mr. J. Rosthal. In his position at the head of his firm s foreign department, Mr. Locw controls all Metro Goldsvyn-Mayer operations outside of the United States. “To visit all the more important branch offices in the ordinary way would take considerable time,” Mr. Loew said. “By using the aeroplane wo shall he able to- visit the various countries, attend to all necessary business, and bo back in New York in December.”

The party’s plans provido for a departure from Sydney either on Saturday or Sunday for Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs, and either Wvndham or Darwin. After leaving Australia, steps will be made in the Dutch West Indies and at Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Hongkong and Shanghai. Mr. Loew will go across to Japan by steamer, hut will rejoin the aeroplane, which will then fly to Calcutta and Bombay. On this section of the flight will be the longest single “hop,” from Hanoi to Calcutta, a distance of 1100 miles.

NEW JOHANNESBURG THEATRE From India, the route will lie across Persia and Irak to Egypt, with stops at Bagdad and Cairo, and then the party will follow the route of Imperial Airways to Johannesburg and Capetown. At Johannesburg Mr. Loew will attend the opening of the new Metro Theatre, which has been built, in the same style as the firm’s magnificent Empire Theatre in Leicester Square, London. On the return trip from Konlli Africa the Imperial Airways route will again be followed, and stops will be made at Cairo, Athens, Rome and Paris. Tho monoplane will he shipped hack to New York from Paris, while the parl v visits England. A PAST MACHINE ‘‘The itinerary necessitates a considerable amount of living,” said Captain Dickson. “Altogether, we shall cover 30,000 miles by air and 11.000 miles by sea. Earlier this year I made a special flight with Mr. Loew to South America, and the machine functioned perfectly. It is-quite equal to the task ahead.” Capt. Dickson retired from the United 1 States Air Force four years ago, after seven years of flying. During the last four years lie has been engaged in commercial aviation in the United States. Mr. Loew is also a keen aviator and tho holder of a pilot’s ticket. Ho will afct as second pilot on the flight. The monoplane, a Lockheed Orion, named “The Spirit of Fun,” was built at tho end of last year for Mr. Hal Roach, the well-known film producer and actor. Tt is fitted- with a. 450 horsepower engine and is capable of a maximum speed of 220 miles an hour, with a cruising speed of 180 miles an, hour.