COMING TASMAN FLIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1932, Page 3

COMING TASMAN FLIGHT

KINGSFORD SMITH’S PLANS

USE OF RADIO TELEPHONE.

broadcasting arrangements

(N.Z. Herald Correspondent.) Sydney, Oct. 20. Verv elaborate plans are being made by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith for his next flight across the Tasman from Sydney to New Plymouth, and these are being rapidly pushed ahead so that his special equipment can be thoroughly tested before he sets out across the storm beaten ocean. All “being well he plans to leave Sydney about 2 a.m. on January 14, on which date there will be a full moon. The 1200 miles flight should take his famous Southern Cross 12 hours, but the machine will be able to lift sufficient petrol for 20 hours in the air. It is considered by experts that this will give an ample, margin of safety. For the first time in the history of ocean flying Sir Charles Kingsford Smith will use radio telephony for communication with the land. He says he hopes that he will be able to talk direct to any city in Australia and New Zealand, and also with London and New York. A Sydney broadcasting station will relay conversations with him during the whole of the flight. It might be possible to make a similar arrangement with a New Zealand station. Sir Charles is still one of the most popular figures in Australia, and his new adventure will be followed with the keenest interest. He can depend on having thousands of listeners in Australia, and. the novelty qf such a broadcast will no doubt appeal to New Zealanders.

'Supplementing the radio telephony regular two-way Morse radio communication will be maintained with Sydney and. New Zealand. The radio operator will be Mr. John M. Staunage, who acted as radio operator during Kingsford. Smith’s flight from England to America in 1930. Mr. Stannage, who will construct all the radio equipment to be carried on the Southern Cross, is the only survivor of the crew of the aeroplane Canberra which rescued Kingsford. Smith’s party when it was lost in the north-west of Australia on the' occasion of the first attempt to fly from Australia to England in 1929. The other member of the crew will be Mr. G. U. Allan, who will be relief pilot, and in addition there will be a passenger whose name has not yet been When fully laden the Southern Cross will not be able to take off at either Mascot or Richmond aerodromes, and. will begin the flight from Gerringtvong, on the south coast of New South Wales, less than 30 miles from Sydney. By kicking the rudder seawards Sir Charles stated that he would, have no worry about fences, trees and overhead wires. He says that he- is going to New Zealand solely for the-purpose of ‘•'barn-storming.” He will remain in the Dominion for several months arranging passenger flights. “I cannot afford to ship the aeroplane,” he said, “so flying is the most, practicable thing to do. We will return to Australia by air.”