AERIAL TRIP

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22031, 2 August 1941, Page 4

AERIAL TRIP

Timaru To Franz Josef Unsurpassable Views Messrs G. H. Andrews and H- Coxhead (Timaru) and H. L. Gibson (Dunedin) returned yesterday from a meeting of the Group Travel Association, held at the Franz Josef Hotel, having done the trip by air from Timaru. The journey took 2 hours 45 minutes which, if done by rail, would have taken four days. Describing the trip over, Mr Andrews said that it was a most interesting experience, the day being calm and sunny and visibility excellent. The panorama of snowclad mountain peaks, extending as far as the eye could see, was indescribably magnificent. "We left Timaru aerodrome at 10.15 a.m. and flew direct to Lake Tekapo. from whence we followed the Cass River to the Jolly Saddle over the Murchison Valley,” said Mr Andrews. “We flew across the Tasman Glacier with the Ball Glacier on our right, circled Mt. Cook at a height of approximately 10,000 feet above the Bail Pass, and continued across the Hooker Glacier to the Copland Pass, afterwards taking a northward sweep over the Marchand, Strachan and Balfour Glaciers, then across the vast snowfields at the head of the Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers, which presented a magnificent sight. “We then continued on through the Newton Pass in the Fritz Range, down the Agassiz Glacier, across the snowfield at the head of the Franz Josef Glacier, passed over many snow peaks and. alter passing the Callery Gorge, we glided down the Franz Josef Glacier. landing at the Franz Josef aerodrome at 11.30 a.m., having travelled more than 120 miles in 1 hour 15 minutes.

“During the trip over the weather was exceptionally good and there was not a cloud in the sky. The return trip was also made in good weather and took 15 minutes longer owing to the extra time needed to climb to the required altitude, which is done more gradually from the Timaru side. “On the return journey a more northern route was taken, and a magnificent view of the Fox Glacier from the sea with Cook and Tasman towering above Eli de Beaumont and Marchand was obtained. After leaving Waihoa we climed to 8800 feet, skirting Eli de Beaumont, across the divide at the head of the Wataroa River, passing over the head of the Murchison Glacier and across the northern end of the Liebig Range into the Godley Glacier and then over the head of Lake Tekapo. The ’plane landed at Timaru aerodrome at 11.5 a.m., having started at 9.40 a.m. “It was indeed a wonderful trip over Alpine scenery which is said to be unsurpassed anywhere in the world. I expect that after the war many will take the opportunity of this air route to the West Coast."