TASMAN FLIGHT

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXII, Issue 225, 25 June 1928, Page 3

TASMAN FLIGHT

FINDING NEW ZEALAND SUITABLE LANDING PLACES Now that it is practically certain, that the trans-Pacific flyers will extend their record-breaking flight by crossing the Tasman sea the question arises as to where the Southern Cross will land when it reaches NevZealand.

The leading citizens of the main cities and towns in New Zealand have already considered this important question, and several invitations have been extended to the airmen to land in various parts of the Dominion. No doubt each of these proposed landing places has its advantages, but little thought seems so far to have been given as to what pan of New Zealand the airmen are likely to make for. The brilliance of the flight across the Pacific rather tends to make the cianger of a comparatively shore flight of 1595 miles across the Tasman seem small. In reality these dangers are almost if not quite, as great as those attached to the journey from Honolulu to Suva. During the flight from California to Honelulu the Southern Cross, could constantly check and correct her direction by means of radio beam direction stations in California and .‘lorolulu. So far it has not been made clear whether the airplane was given its direction by radio during the flight from Honolulu to Suva. The last stage of the flight—from Suva to Brisbane —had to be accomplished without the assistance of radio direction appartus, with the result at the airplane was over IGO miles Gif her course when she arrived neai the Australian coast. How disastrous would it have been had this nror occurred in the flight from Honolulu to Suva!

The fact that many months were spent in considering every risk attached to the trans-Pacific flight makes it appear unlikely that the airmen will be hasty or attempt the Tasman flight without adequate preparation being made both in Australia and in New Zealand. There is only one radio direction finder available in New Zealand, and that is on board the Government steamer Tutanekai., It is understood that this set-can be easily removed from the vessel and used ashore. If this set is erected on the Tinakori Hills beside the wireless station it will mean that the Southern Cross will be able to get a direct bearing on Wellington at any time after she is within a radius of five or six hundred miles of the direction finder. Although Christchurch claims to have an ideal landing place for the big airplane, it has not a wireless station, and consequently the radio direction finder would be useless if the direction, when found, could not be promptly transmitted back to the airplane. The most suitable place in the Dominion for the erection of the direction finder is Wellington, which has an efficient wireless plant and is in a central position. If the direction finder is erected on the Tinakori Hils the airmen wil have to make for Wellington until they reach the coast, but after that they will be able to proceed to either Wellington, Christchurch, New Plymouth, or Auckland. Taking its bearings from Wellington the airplane will make New Zealand in the vicinity of the Little Wanganui River in the Karamea Bight.

From this point Wellington is distant 135 miles, Christchurch 152 miles, New Plymouth 190 miles, and Auckland 342 miles. When it is considered that Wellington is the capital, and the most central city in New Zealand, it appears very probable that the airmen will make Trentham their objective. A further and most important reason for making Wellington is that after the airplane reaches the coast it will be nearer to this city than to any other of the main centres in New Zealand. —Wellington Evening Post.