DIRECT FLIGHT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20928, 6 January 1938, Page 6

DIRECT FLIGHT

CENTAURUS BACK AT AUCKLAND WEATHER UPSETS PLANS By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, January 5. The Imperial Airways flying-boat Centaurus reached Auckland late this afternoon at the conclusion of a successful good will tour of New Zealand. The Centaurus had completed the flight from Dunedin with a stop for lunch at Wellington. Her flying time for the distance was shrs lOmin. the Dunedin Wellington journey occupying 2hrs 43mins and the North Island trip 2hrs 27mins. Unfavourable weather ; prevailed for the entire journey from 1 Dunedin, low clouds with rain and high winds adding to the difficulties in places. Te Centaurus never faltered I and came through with such ease that i the passengers marvelled when they ! looked over the side to see ships wal- | lowing in the heavy seas. A squall i caused by opposing winds meeting was i encountered halfway between Christ- ‘ church and Wellington. Those aboard the Centaurus were surprised to feel some heavy bumps, but there was never any cause for even the slighest alarm. The craft behaved perfectly and the squall made little if any difference to the comfort of the travellers. When the flying-boat took off for Auckland at 2.5 o’clock this afternoon clouds were still low, so Captain Burgess held his ship in a climb and came out on top. steering a direct compass course for Cape Egmont over the water. Occasional squalls were encountered when approaching Manukau Harbour, but the Centaurus ran straight through them. The sky was dark and threatening as the Centaurus swept low over Auckland, gradually losing height. Captain Burgess found it necessary to circle before touching down. The windsock on top of the Pan-American building, which can be seen for a considerable distance, showed the direction of the wind beyond any doubt, and in addition a radio weather message had been sent earlier to the commander. Welcome Appreciated Appreciation of the ’velcome accorded him and his crew in each of the New Zealand cities the Centaurus has visited was expressed by Captain J. W. Burgess. He also made particular reference to his gratitude for the valuable assistance given at each port of call by the harbour and other < authorities. “We have had a very successful tour round New Zealand with wonderful receptions at each of the cities visited—Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Christchurch and Dunedin.” Captain Burgess said he regretted deeply that it had not been possible, however, to carry out the complete schedule which made provision for the Centaurus to circle over a number of , towns to enable people to see the j flying boat. “On the trip southward to Dunedin fog obscured most of the | towns, and we did not find it possible to show the boat over these places,” he continued. “On the return journey we had intended flying by way of Inverc ’rgill, Bluff, towns on the West Coast, Nelson and Blenheim to Wellington. All preparations were made to keep to this schedule and sufficient petrol was taken aboard to adhere to the itinerary. Owing to bad weather, however, it was found necessary to go direct to Wellington. Again from Wellington northward the weather made it necessary to follow the west coast route and to fly direct to Auckland instead of piling above the East Coast and circling over some of the inland towns.”

Captain Burgess said it w*as unfortunately out of the question to make a special flight southward again to enable the residents of towns not visited to see the Centaurus. A definite schedule of movements had been drawn up and had to be This called for the machine to leave Auckland for Sydney on Monday morning. Refuelling and general checking would occupy some of the intervening time, and much as it was to be regretted there would be no other flights within New Zealand after the journey to Russell to be made to-morrow morning. In an informal chat later, Captain Burgess said he had never expected anything like the enthusiasm occasioned by the tour of the flying-boat. The receptions throughout had been magnificent, and the public had shown the keenest possible interest in the Centaurus. Another most satisfactory point was that the whole of the New Zealand tour had been completed without damage of any kind to the ship. He added that she had behaved perfectly, and the many people carried for both long and short flights had obviously found the experience enjoyable.