A BUMPY TRIP.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20279, 13 April 1934, Page 5

A BUMPY TRIP.

Latest Air Crossing of the Tasman Sea. HOW RIVET WAS SPRUNG. Per Prfcjsp Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, April 12. When about 300 miles from Sydney at an altitude of 8000 ft, the Faith in Australia experienced a bump which threw Mr Ulm against the ceiling, broke several flasks of hot coffee, sprang a leak in the main petrol tank and threw tools against the fabric with such force as to make holes, according to the story of Mr G. U. Allen, co-pilot, navigator and. wireless operator. Mr Allen said that the machine must have dropped 2000 ft. From the start the weather was bumpy and steady rain continued most of the way. The big bump was very sudden. At the time Mr Ulm was lying down in the cabin, which is six I feet high. He was thrown against the ceiling amidst the noise of breaking I flasks and tools being thrown about. With much petrol in the main tank in the cabin, its full weight was thrown against the front bulkhead, with the result that a rivet was sprung and the benzine began to pour out. Mr Boulton (the mechanic) stopped the flow from the ruptured tank with his hand while Mr Allen pumped the contents into the gravity tanks with a pump. The batteries which fed the lighting system and the wireless transmitter and receiver were thrown from their boxes and all connections were broken. After the bump they again climbed to 8000 ft where they remained until just short of the Taranaki coast, where they began a gradual descent, j Although it did not rain for all the journey the only sunshine was seen I within fifty miles of New Plymouth.