THREE FLIGHTS YESTERDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 230, 28 September 1928, Page 5

THREE FLIGHTS YESTERDAY.

ALL CHRISTCHURCH WATCHING. SEVERAL PASSENGERS TAKEN. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Every point of Vantage in the city was occupied when the Southern Cross took the air yesterday afternoon, for the first time since it arrived on September 11 from Australia. Business was forgotten and traffic was almost impeded while the big 'plane circled over Cathedral Square, passed over the Cashmere Sanatoria, and then returned to circle over the square again before flying back to the aerodrome.

Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith piloted the machine, and he had Captain J. L. Findlav beside him. In the cabin were Mrs. Findlay, Mr. and Mrs. Eccles, of Claverley, where Captain Findlay made a forced landing on his flight from Blenheim, and „Mr. Litchfield.

Immediately after the first flight the Southern Cross took off again, carrying as passengers the Mayor, Rev. J. K. Archer, the town clerk, Mr. J. S. Neville, and Mrs. Neville. Lieutenant Denton was in the pilot seat, with SquadronLeader Kingsford Smith. It flew across the Cashmere Hills to Lyttelton, circlcd the harbour and then crossed the hills to Sumner, and returned to the aerodrome by way of Cashmere and the city, after an absence of about half-an-hour.

A third and final test flight was then made with the full crew of the Southern Cross on board. Among the passengers was Captain Buckley. The machine flew over the city and then away to the north, along the coastline. It reappeared after three-quarters of an hour, circled the Square once more and returned to the aerodrome, after an absence of an hour. The wireless aerial was unreeled during the flight and the apparatus tested by Mr. McWjlliam.

Kingsford Smith said he was fully satisfied with the tests and that the machine was 100 per cent efficient.