VISIT OF SOUTHERN CROSS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1932, Page 9

VISIT OF SOUTHERN CROSS

NEW PLYMOUTH ITINERARY

FOUR DAYS’ STAY IN TARANAKI.

PASSENGER FLIGHTS FOR PUBLIC.

Detailed arrangements regarding the forthcoming flight of the Southern Cross from Australia to New Plymouth on January 12 were made by Mr. S. E. Nielson, secretary of the New Plymouth Aero Club, with Mr. Wilfred Kingsford Smith, brother and advance agent of Sir Charles, in Wellington yesterday. The Southern Cross will remain four days at New Plymouth—from Thursday *» T “ s<Uy morning, January 17, when she will continue her New Zealand itinerary. Much of the time will be occupied in passenger flights.

On arrival at Wellington yesterday morning Mr. Wilfred Kingsford Smith was met by Messrs Beau Sffiel aviation officer for the Vacuum Off Company, S. E. Nielson, secretary of the New Plymouth and New Zealand Aero Clubs, A. W. Nisbet, secretary of the Welling ton Aero Club. WJ . The arrangements made by Mi. Wil fred Kingsford Smith were Mr. Nielson on his arrival back m New Plymouth early this morning. Sir Charles and his party expect o land at New Plymouth from Australia at about 5 p.m. If the winds are favourable, however, they may arrive any time after 3 p.m. Immediately on arrival a civic reception will be held at the aerodrome. Sir Charles and the rest of the party will then proceed immediately into town for rB Qn Friday Sir Charles -will still rest, but he has expressed a wish for some light exercise such as shooting or deepsea fishing. ■' OVERHAUL OF ENGINES.

The mechanics will arrive by boat and will reach New Plymouth a few days prior to the arrival of the Southern Cross. They will give the monoplane’s engines a “top” overhaul, and the engines will, also be personally inspected by Sir Charles while they are “down.” Sir Charles will commence passenger flights at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 14, and will continue all day. On Saturday evening he will give a lecture in the Opera House, and has moving pictures to show of his previous flights. On “’Sunday,. January 15, at 10 a.m., he will commence further passenger flights. He wishes to make it particularly clear that he will not fly between the hours of 11 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. on Sunday to avoid interfering with church services. On Monday at 9.30 a.m. he will continue passenger flights and until 11 a.m. will take school, children at 5s each, continuing his usual programme for the remainder of the day. On Monday evening he has consented to attend the official Aero Club ball. Owings to the onerous nature of his work, however, and the heavy strain involved, he desires to be excused from all social functions other than official aero club functions. He particularly does not wish to discuss flying with anyone during his leisure hours. He has also consented to present the Cory-Wright Cup Zealand Aero Club trophy) and club trophies. He has consented to address the school children on Saturday morning for half an hour, at the aerodrome. He can take 14 passengers each trip. Sir Charles leaves New Plymouth on Tuesday morning in continuation of his New Zealand itinerary. The official party will be the guests of Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Jones, those staying with Mr. and Mrs. Jones being Sir Charles, Mr. Wilfred Kingsford Smith, and Mr. Taylor, the co-pilot. Messrs J. W. Stannage (wireless operator), H. Affleck (aircraftsman), and T. J. Pethybridge (engineer) will be the guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. Power.

NEW ZEALAND ITINERARY. Mr. Wilfred Kingsford Smith stated that the Southern Cross would definitely visit New Plymouth, Auckland, Hamilton, Napier, Hastings, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Levin, Masterton, Blenheim, Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin and Invercargill. A number of other places may be visited if landing places suitable for a plane of the size of the Southern Cross are available,, but no definite decision can be made untiltan inspection has been made. Towns in this category include Whangarei, Dannevirke, Gisborne, Ha-

wera, Hokitika, Alexandria and Gore. Sir Charles expects to be in New Zea- 3 land untd the end of February, and it I has been practically decided that he will then fly back to Australia. ' The Ninety Mile Beach has been provisionally chosen as the take-offi place. Mr. Kingsford Smith said that the crew of the Southern Cross would consist of Sir Charles, P. G.. Taylor, co-pilot and navigator, and Mr. J. I Stannage,' wireless operator. Mr. Stannage was wireless operator on the Southern Cross . during the Atlantic flight. Two passengers, an Australian and a New Zealander (Mr. S. E. Nielson, New Plymouth) would also make Sir Charles intended to take off from Gerringong Beach, which was ninety miles south of Sydney, at 2 a.m. on January 12, weather permitting. At that hour in the morning it would be low tide and full moon. The reason why he chose Gerringong Beach was because it provided an excellent runway for a machine with a heavy load such as the Southern Cross would have. Both the Mascot and Richmond aerodromes were rather cramped for taking off with a heavy load on account of the distance the machine had to run before it left the ground. The Southern Cross would carry 700 gallons of Petrol, which was nearly two tons and a-half. The total deadweight of the machine would exceed six tons. “My brother decided to . take off on Friday, January 13, and although he is not in the least superstitious, Lady Kingsford Smith definitely put her foot down,” said Mr. Kingsford Smith. Sir Charles said he expected the flight to last from twelve to thirteen hours, and hoped to land at New Plymouth at 5 p.m. New Zealand time. ■ This would allow him about two and ai half hours’ extra daylight in case he was 1 held up by adverse winds Sir Charles ; chose New Plymouth for his first land- • ing because it was the nearest point E to Australia, and, being a daylight High > : he had the guidance of Mount Egmont. ! "BROADCAST DESCRIPTION. ■ A novel feature of the flight would r be a broadcast description given from the machine itself. Successful tests had r been carried out by Mr. Stannage when ~ flying above Sydney. On the Tasman 2 flight, however, a special plant, manu- ■> factured in Holland, would be used, f The plant was expected to arrive in e Sydney at the end of this month. Are rangements had been made with broad1 casting stations in Australia and New.

Zealand to relay the description of the H The return flight was expected,to last four hours longer on account of *| p r*a g nd W petrol would have to be carried, making £ gallons altogether On account of the extra fuel he would not; be able to take more than one passenger on the re tU Sir Charles, he said, was quite confi-. + that the flight to New Zealand would be successful. “He has okmif the trip at <lll, said* S orStaal engines. used on the Pacific flight and the first Tasman flight.” Sir Charles was looking forward greatly to his tour, bu as it was purely a business trip ed to avoid as many social functions as possible. He did not wish to appear discourteous in this respect, but his health demanded that he should adopt this attitude.