N.Z. AIRWOMAN.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19459, 26 December 1934, Page 5

N.Z. AIRWOMAN.

PILOTED BIG AIR LINER. I ! | FLEW OVER CENTRAL AMERICA I i WELLINGTON WOMAN’S HOLIDAY. To have piloted a large tri-motored aeroplane ai an altitude of 9000 feet over America while efforts were being made to repair defective brakes has been the experience of Mrs A. J. Park, of Lower Ilutt, who has just returned with her mother, Mrs C. Yerex, after visiting her brother, Mr Lowell Yerex, who is proprietor of the Transportes Aereos Centroamericanos, an air transport service in Honduras, Central America. Mr Yerex was born in Lower Ilutt, and three years ago started the service as an adventure with only one plane. To-day he has 14 aeroplaces, three being tri-motored machines, with 10 pilots and B'7 men, with his headquarters at the capital, Tegucigalpa. 'His air service extends over the principal towns of Honduras, Salvador, and Nicaragua, and he is described by the American (Press as “the leading figure in Central Amerioan aviation who lost an eye in helping to break up a revolt in 'Honduras two years ago." Mr Yerex received his training as a pilot during the 'Great War, during which he was forced down behind the enemy lines and captured. He escaped from prison and wandered for three days before he was again captured and imprisoned.

Thrilling Experiences.

Mrs Park has many thrilling and adventurous tales to tell oi' her experiences while Hying with her brother and of her stay -in Central America. “I met my brother in New York," Mrs Park told a Dominion reporter, ‘‘and from there we went to Buffalo by train. Incidentally, it was the first time my brother had been on a train in ten years, and it was quite a treat for him. From 'Buffalo we flew to Chicago on the air line. A great deal of the 'flying was done at night, but thej-e was’ no danger of the pilot’s losing his way as the route was clearly defined by rows of red, white, and green lights with revolvingbeacons at regular intervals. All the air liners are equipped with radio, and are in constant communication with the ground'. As the air field is neared, the pilot tells the officials the exact time, he wants to land, and gigantic searchlights, thrown on the ground to avoid a glare, make the field as light as day.

“Dinner was served on board the plane, and we had everything we wanted from soup to nuts, with a delicious cup of coffee to finish off with. As soon as dinner was 'finished the lights were switched off so that we could admire the lights below. We were travelling in one of the latest Douglas air liners, which'do more than 200 m.p.h., but we felt as if we were hardly moving. Took Over the Controls. “Lowell bought an all-metal trlmotored plane at Chicago, and from there we flew to Memphis, Tennessee, where we stayed the first night. The plane weighs five tons empty, but we were carrying a heavy load of machinery and were travelling about 110 m.p.h. When we were about 20 minutes out from New Orleans my brother found that two of the three wheel brakes were not functioning properly, and after showing me how to take control of -the aeroplane he went back into the cabin. Our altitude was 9000 feet, and there was a ■strong, east wind. iLowell did. not return for about 20 minutes, and by that time my arms were aching with keeping the plane straight. He found that he could not fix the brakes, and he landed on the full length of the field and just managed to turn the machine in time.”

On arrival at Brownsville, Texas, the border of Mexico, Mrs Park encountered trouble with the Mexican authorities, who refused to allow her to enter the country because she did not have the written authority of her husband. Mrs Park explained that it was common for obstacles to be raised when the authorities knew there was a possibility of being paid for their trouble. “I tried telling them’ I was a widow," said Mrs Park, “but unfortunately one of the officials spoke English, and that story was blown out when he saw my passport. Wo managed to get away after being delayed for a whole day. “We' had a leisurely trip of about eight days to the headquarters at Tegucigalpa, and once in Central America we seemed to pass over nothing but valleys. In fact, the country is so mountainous that there was some difficulty in getting sufficient level ground for an airport at San Salvador. We circled over the craters of a number of volcanoes on the way, and we could see the red glowing among the grey ashes far down below.

A Gold Telephone. “There are about 50,000 people living in Tegucigalpa, which is one of the wealthiest towns in Central America. Some of its buildings are romantic and picturesque, but it’s terribly dirty. The president has a beautiful palace in which is a gold telephone. The authorities had to suspend the wages of the civil servants for some time to pay for it, but they got their gold telephone. The town has a quaint cathedral, and the bells ring; merrily at the leasL excuse. The'house in which my brother lives is a Spanish hacienda about 300 years old. Each window has three screens —one for the insects, then glass shutters, and finally wooden shutters with holes cut in them for rifles. One never knows what is going to happen out there, and I,owell has a machine-gun in the house just in case. "Passengers and mail are carried on the service, but the planes also carry fruit, cigarettes, beer, cheese, and even turkeys and fowls. One resident brought a beautiful Alsation dog, which barked steadily for I tie whole two hours of the trip." Was slie nervous? Mrs Park was asked. "Not for very long.” she replied. "I had every confidence in my brother, and there was so much to see and so much to think about that 1 did not have time to get really frightened. It was a tremendous thrill, hut with the sparsely populated country it became rather monotonous after a while. But it was a great trip, and I've had the thrill Tf my life.”