PILOT ACROSS TASMAN

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1933, Page 4

PILOT ACROSS TASMAN

KINGSFORD SMITH’S CHOICE SQUADRON-LEADER W. WHITE. AUSTRALIAN-BUILT MACHINE. ITS FIRST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Air-Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith has chosen Squadron-Leader W. White, chief pilot to New Zealand Airways, to fly the Australian-built monoplane across the Tasman Sea to New Plymouth in December. Making an announcement to this effect to-day Mr. B. Shiel, aviation officer of the Vacuum Oil Company, said the machine will be a six-passenger twinengined monoplane to be built at Cockatoo Island, Sydney, and registered as the first “Codock.” The type will be a Fokker design powered with two . Napier Javelin engines, each developing 175 horse-power. The wing span will be 52 feet and the all-over length 35 feet. With either engine stopped the machine will be able to fly for at least 800 miles. The top speed of the machine will be 140 miles an hour and the cruising speed 125 miles an hour. The range with a full pay load will be 1000 miles. By installing extra petrol tanks in place of the passenger accommodation an ocean flight of 2000 miles will be possible. . . It is expected the machine will be completed in November, said Mr. Shiel, and although it will be rigidly tested at Sydney, the first commercial test will be the flight across the Tasman in formation with the Southern Cross. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith is conducting a competition among the school children for an Australian name for the new aeroplane. It is expected that after the tour of New Zealand he will enter a tender for the Australia-Singa-pore section of the England-Australia air service* Squadron-Leader White is a wellknown New Zealand pilot. He enlisted in 1914 and served at Gallipoli, transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in October, 1916. He served in the East until a forced landing behind the enemy lines in July, 1917, made him a prisoner until the armistice was signed. Adopting aviation as a profession, Squadron-Leader White did some pioneer flying at Fiji, including a considerable amount of aerial survey work. At the commencement of the aero club movement in New Zealand he was appointed pilot instructor to the Hawke’s Bay Club, and later he joined New Zealand Airways Ltd. at Timaru as chief pilot. In this capacity he has done a considerable amount to assist in the exploration of Central Otago, and during the tour of the Southern Cross at the beginning of the year he flew the Southern Cross Kitten, the tender machine, in the latter portion of the tour. He commands. No. 4 army co-operation squadron of the New Zealand Air Force.