LONDON TO NEW PLYMOUTH BY AIR.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 935, 4 December 1933, Page 1

LONDON TO NEW PLYMOUTH BY AIR.

ULM REACHES N.Z.

Takes 14 Hours 23 Minutes for Crossing of Tasman,

TWO WOMEN PASSENGERS.

Perfect Flying Condtions Experienced Throughout Journey.

FOURTEEN HOURS 23 MINUTES after tie left Sydney, Mr Charles Ulm brought his giant monoplane, Faith in Australia, safely to earth at New Plymouth at 9.50 a.m. to-day. The landing marked still another successful Tasman crossing. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, on his flight from Sydney to New Plymouth on January 11 of this year, took 14 hours 15 minutes for the trip. Mr Ulm, who experienced perfect flying conditions throughout the flight, thus took eight minutes longer than his old colleague. Accompanying Mr Ulm in the Faith in Australia were Mrs Ulm, Mr G. U. Allen (relief pilot), Mr R. B. Boulton (radio operator), and Miss Kathleen Rogers (private secretary to Mr Ulm). This is the first time that women have flown the Tasman.

FLIGHT DESCRIBED.

Conditions Excellent all the Way. As the Faith in Australia winged her way across the Tasman, listeners-in who stayed awake beside their sets heard faint Morse signals buzzing brief messages through the ether. These signals were picked up by 3YA, which all through the night and during the morning kept listeners in touch with the progress of the ’plane. Occasionally the Morse messages which were picked up direct from the ’plane, were re-broad-cast, and the musical programme was interrupted by the faint staccato signals. The first message was receivd at 9.4 pjn. direct frem the ’plane. “Left Richmond 7.25 p.m. f New Zealand time. Course 97 degrees magnetic. 'Plane took off well. Machine and engines 0.K.” Those were the first short sentences which R. B. Boulton, the wireless operator, tapped out not long after the Faith in Australia began the crossing of 1200 miles of sea. At 9.33 Mrs Ulm and Miss Kathleen Rogers, first women to venture across the Tasman by aeroplane, could see the sun shining over the Australian coast. “All in Faith in Australia happy to be on our way to New Zealand. The sun is still shining over the Australian coast,’’ came the next message. The third mesage, signed by Mr Ulm, said “Now lhr 30min in air. Flying over broken clouds. Everything O.K. Cheerio.” Darkness fell and the three Wright Whirlwind engines continued their steady roar. Faint signals interrupted the musical programme from 3YA just after midnight, and at 12.27 came another cheery report. “Still flying at 7000 ft above cloud level in clear moonlight. All well. Enjoyed meal an hour ago. Supper on board. Everything going spendidly.” Ladies Play Cards. At 1.15 a.m. Mr Ulm wirelessed that the plane had been in flight for six hours. Flying conditions were excellent. The women were at their ease and were playing cards. With the engines working smoothing the Faith in Australia was travelling steadily onwards at an air speed of 95 miles per hour. Half an hour later the head wind was apparently stronger, for the plane’s speed had dropped to S 3 miles per hour. The pilot had the machine steady, maintaining an altitude of 6200 ft. At 22S a.m. 550 miles of the journey had been covered. The Faith in Australia was drawing steadily towards her goal. Between 2.30 a m. and 3 a.m. the wireless operator was busy tapping cut pri- , rate messages. His code signals could j be heard plainly with added strength j as the machine added mile after mile | to those already conquered. At 2.55 j the going was smooth, and the ship s company slept. “ Still flying in perfect weather ” came the next message at 3.20 a.m. “ Our altitude now is OOOOit. Everybody is happy and all is well.” With all his company asleep, Mr Ulm was in the cockpit at 3.55 a.m. on the lookout for the break -of dawn.

No signals were heard from the Faith in Australia between 4 a.m. and 6.20 i a.m., when the silence was broken by [ a message which stated : “ We are now’ ! 915 miles from Sydney. The crew was awakened by bright sunshine. We can i see the water through rifts in the ! clouds. The sea is calm.’.’ 1 Almost an hour later Mr Ulm sent a message to say that the crew were ■ arleep again. He himself was feeling i conditions rather chilly. They were ! still flying at a height of 6000 ft, and ! Mr Ulm was waiting for an opportunity to drop a marker into the sea to enable him to determine the aeroplane’s position. This opportunity would come when a sufficiently large opening showed through the crowds below the machine. At 7.45, the wireless operator reported that the plane had been in the air twelve hours, and the engines were still functioning perfectly. The altitude was now 5800 feet. Clouds Over Aerodrome. A message sent out from New Plymouth shortlv after 8 a.m. was to the j effect that heavy clouds were hanging i over the aerodrome and obscuring j vision seawards. In these circumstances ! it was not expected that the Faith in i Australia would be sighted until she j arrived below the clouds over the landj ing ground. ! Mount Egmont was sighted at 9.12 ; a.m., and a wireless message stated j that the plane would reach New Ply- | mouth about 10 a.m., New Zealand At 9.23 a.m. a wireless message gave the machine's position as forty miles from New Plymouth. The operator added that this would be his last message on the flight as he was closing down and winding in his aerial preparatory to the landing.

CHEERS AT SYDNEY.

Women Wear Flannel Slacks. United Dre-s Assn. —By Electitc Telegraph—Copyright. (Received December 4, 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, December 4. Reports of weather conditions over the Tasman showing that the winds had moderated caused Mr Ulm to decide to start his flight. The Faith in Australia was given a final inspection, her tanks were filled and, in the presence of a considerable crowd, she took ; off at 5.27. The plane, which carried 600 gallons ' of petrol, rose after a run of two hundred yards, gained elevation and j made off seaward, escorted by a number of private planes, towards the ; mists over the sea. The crowd cheered | lustily as the ’plane straightened out j j on her course. Both of the women passengers wore j I flannel slacks. Mr Ulm said. “As far as I know, now, the women will not be flying ! back.” j The women looked cheerful and an- j ticipated that their passage as the first j female trans-Tasman flyers would be a thrilling success. Mrs Ulm said that ; her role would be caterer tor the trip, j TO MEET ULM, .. . I ' Squadron-Leader J. L. Findlay and J i Flight-Lieutenant V. J. Somerset- ; | Thomas left Wigram at 8.30 this morn- j ! mg for Wellington in an Air Force Puss j i Moth. There Flight-Lieutenant Thomas | ! will transfer t > a Hawker Tomtit, and j 1 both planes will proceed to New Ply- j ! mouth to meet Mr Ulm’s plane. 1