OVERHAUL COMPLETED

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1934, Page 9

OVERHAUL COMPLETED

SOUTHERN CROSS TO LEAVE TASMAN FLIGHT TO-MORROW. SIR CHARLES’ PLANS TOR FUTURE. The Southern Cross will leave the New Plymouth aerodrome at 11 o’clock this morning for Auckland and NinetyMile Beach, where preparations. in connection with, the return flight across the Tasman to-morrow, will be begun this afternoon. The overhaul of the plane was completed last night, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith going’out-to the aerodrome to supervise the final touches on the machine. The crew of the Southern Cross for its return bight, Captain -P.G. Taylor, Mr. J. S. W. Stannage, and Mr. J, Percival, arrived at Wellington' by the Marama yesterday and came straight to New Plymouth by train. On arrival at New Plymouth Mr. Stannage spent some time assembling the" radio set, which has been specially constructed for telephonic communication. During the flight to Australia messages will be broadcast from the Southern Cross, and if conditions are suitable listener? will occasionally be able to hear the roar of the engines of the plane. The Same ’system of telephonic communication was in operation on the plane when it made its first great flight from California to Australia.

The overhaul was completed much earlier than scheduled, .the: original- object being to completeit. some time this morning. With the aid of three assistants, Mr. J. T. Pethyhridge, the ground engineer, made such good progress with the work that it was completed some hours earlier. , '

On his return to. Australia Sir Charles will spend some time in preparing -for the centenary air .race from England to Melbourne, and with Lady Kingsford Smith will leave , for America in July. There he will make the final selection of his plane for the race, in which he will be accompanied . by. Captain Taylor. As he has flown over the route eight times altogether, as well, as having made three journeys over shorter parts of the course, Sir Charles’ advantage in geographical knowledge of the' course will be great. In the meantime his brother, Mr. Wilfrid Kingsford. Smith, will remain in New Zealand in connection with the development, of Dominion Airways and the Codock machine’s movements. He will return to New Plymouth for the Tasman flight by the Codock'and may possibly fly to Auckland in the machine. The , air mail for the Southern Cross closed last night. It is likely to be almost as heavy as-that carried by Mr. C. T. P, Ulm in the Faith in Australia, though at the moment it is impossible to obtain any idea of its size.