MINISTER’S FLIGHT IN AOTEAROA

Southland Times, Issue 23982, 24 November 1939, Page 4

MINISTER’S FLIGHT IN AOTEAROA

INSPECTING HOBSONVILLE FROM THE AIR (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, November 23. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) will have his first flight in the Tasman Empire Airways flyingboat Aotearoa tomorrow morning in the course of a routine training flight. The Aotearoa, under Captain J. W. Burgess, will give the Minister an opportunity of seeing the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Hobsonville and the new station under construction at Whenuapai from the air. Accompanied by his secretary, Mr F. M. Sherwood, ana Flight Lieutenant J. M. Buckeridge, of the Ciyil Aviation Department, Mr. Jones will embark on the Aotearoa at the • Tasman Empire Airways base at nine o’clock. The machine will be flown to Hobsonville and after circling to enable the Minister to examine both stations from the air it will alight on the upper harbour near the Hobsonville jetty. The Minister and his party will then go ashore to make a more detailed inspection. While the Aotearoa is at Hobsonville opportunity will be taken to study the hauling-out area which will be used when the machine is taken ashore next week for the cleaning of the hull and floats and for general inspection. Tentative arrangements have been made for the machine to be flown to Hobsonville next Wednesday and taken from the water for inspection for the first time since she arrived in New Zealand. The massive undercarriage, comprising a frame with two large wheels to support the hull and a smaller wheel to go under the tail,, will precede the Aotearoa to Hobsonville, being taken there on a barge. When the flying boat arrives the cradle will be set in position and fixed to the craft which will then be drawn from the water by means of a special winch. The new hangar intended for use on such occasions is almost completed. At the top of the Hobsonville slipway the hull and floats will be thoroughly cleaned and coated with a special preparation designed to keep them in good condition. ' This will take the greater part of the day, after which the Aotearoa will return to her base ready for more training flights.