NIGHT SPENT ON BEACH

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1934, Page 9

NIGHT SPENT ON BEACH

AIRMEN TELL THE STORY AN UNEVENTFUL FLIGHT ’ / V MACHINE BEHAVES WELL Auckland, Nov, 23. “We had a violent desire to come to New Zealand, and we decided that flying was the cheapest and best way,” said Flying-Officer Whitehead and Mr. Nicholl, when interviewed at the Mangere aerodrome after they had enjoyed a short They both appeared well, though tired and stiff, and they readily answered a long series of questions. Their flight was uneventful. The weather on the whole was good, though they passed through thunderstorms. They flew mostly between 500 and 1000 feet above the sea. They sighted a small ship about 350 miles off the coast, but could not identify it. ; \ Then when about 60 miles off the coast they sighted seagulls, and this assured them that they were somewhere near„ land. They sighted land 13 hours after leaving Australia. Believing themselves further south than they actually were, they turned north, but found themselves losing the land. They saw islands further to the north, so they turned south again and flew down the east coast and landed on a small beach at 6.35 p.m. HOUSE SIGHTED. After landing they saw a house some distance away and attempted to reach it, but came to a stream which they could not cross, so' they returned to the plane, lit a Are and spent the night. They were unable to sleep, however. They had 2i to 3 hours’ petrol left, and this morning they flew down to Mangere. Questioned about flying without a licence, they said that they had been advised in Australia by the Civil Aviation Department that their licence was cancelled. This was solely because of the'extra petrol tank they had installed. Actually they brought their licence with them. Their plane had been purchased by Flying-Officer Whitehead eight months ago, and it was over a cup of coffee at Mascot aerodrome that they suddenly decided to fly to New Zealand together. They considered that as the plane had flown about 1000 hours without ever a forced landing they would be unlucky if it failed them on this flight. Actually the engine had never missed a beat. They had an emergency petrol pumping system and a makeshift oil pump which functioned perfectly. They concluded that it was useless carrying wireless, because if they came down they coujd not hope to be rescued. They would do the flight again, but would not like to be so cramped next time. “JOY-RIDING.”

Mr. Nicholls said that Flying-Officer Whitehead was the pilot for six hours, then he took over. After another eight hours they changed again and FlyingOfficer Whitehead piloted until the landing. They would probably “do a bit of joy-riding now,” perhaps a tour of the Dominion. They intended to look for opportunities to establish a commercial service.

Flying-Officer Whitehead said they thought the islands they sighted in the north were Three Kings. When they landed they walked for what seemed miles along the beach before sighting the house, which they were unable to reach. It is believed at Auckland that the landing place was on the Houhora Beach, close to the Houhora River. The only information to hand tends to show that the airmen came down on Ninety Mile Beach, but this is pure surmise, for as far as is known they were seen by no one, says a Whangarei message.

The relieving postmaster at Kaitaia says it is believed in the district that the fliers landed at Hukatere, where a garage and a camping ground are situated.

Mr. D. M. Allen, Auckland Aero Club instructor, who with other Auckland pilots gave a display in the far north yesterday, flew along the coast from Ahipara at the lower end of the beach to North Cape at 6.30 this morning and saw no sign of the airmen. Other reports received at Kaitaia state that the plane was seen crossing Herekino, which is south of Ninety Mile Beach, at daylight.