CLIPPER ARRIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 221, 17 September 1940, Page 3

CLIPPER ARRIVES.

FIRST FLIGHT PASSENGERS. RECORD HELD BY WOMAN. Five "first flight" travellers were among the 17 passengers carried uv the Pan-American Airways' American Clippel which arrived at Auckland yesterday afternoon on its first regular flight after a tine passage of 7hrs Omins from Noumea. The craft was commanded by Captain K. V. Beer, who had flown over the route previously as first officer. The passenger who held the greatest "first flight" record was Mrs. Clara Adams, of Long Island, New York, whose list includes Zepj>elin test flights in Germany in 1924; Graf Zeppelin, United States to Europe, 1928; Flying-boat Dornier D.0.-X., Rio de Janeiro to \ew York, 1931; dirigible Hindenburg, Europe to United States, 1930; China Clipper, across the Pacific and back, 1936: Dixie Clipper, New York to Marseilles, and thence round the world in just under 17 days, covering 24.009 miles by air, June 28 to July 15, 1939. Mr. James McVittie, a Chicago industrialist, made pioneer flights in the Graf Zeppelin, and Mr. William Hoch, a Boston business man, made the first passenger crossing of the North Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland. Mr. Julius Rapaport, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was a fellow-passenger with Mrs. Adams and Mr. McVittie on the first Atlantic flight to Marseilles, and Mr. H. L. Stuart, 3iead of a large Chicago investment banking linn, was 011 Pan-American Airways' inaugural flight between New York and Lisbon. The passengers yesterday said the trip was a most enjoyable one. At the crossing of the international date line, between Canton Island and Noumea, King Neptune held court, and the usual ceremony was held, providing a good deal of fun for" evervbodv.