SOUTH ISLAND FLIGHT

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28269, 6 May 1957, Page 10

SOUTH ISLAND FLIGHT

Departure At Noon “There is no suggestion that the Comet is grounded by bad weather,” said Squadron Leader H. King, personal staff officer to Air Marshal McKee, yesterday. “We can fly through almost anything. “But it would be foolish to fly a £1 million aircraft through low cloud at 500 ft on our demonstration flight. We wouldn’t see much of the country—and you wouldn’t see much of us.” This afternoon the Comet will be seen by South Islanders in low-level runs of east coast cities and towns, including Ashburton, Geraldine, Timaru, Waimate, Oamaru, Palmerston; Dunedin, Balclutha, Gore, Bluff, and Invercargill. The run back to Harewood will be at high altitude. Newspaper and radio reporters will be aboard the aircraft during this flight. The aircraft will make a circuit of Christchurch after taking oft from Harewood at midday. At 12.18 J it will be over Ashburton, at 12.29 over Geraldine, it will reach Timaru at 12.37 J, and pass over Waimate at 12.47 p.m. Crossing the Waitaki river, it will reach Oamaru at 12.54 p.m., Palmerston at 1.4< p.m., Dunedin at 1.12 p.m., Balclutha at 1.28$ p.m., Gore at 1.42 p.m., Bluff at I. p.m., and Invercargill at 2.4 p.m. This flight is planned for about 1000 ft. The return flight, at high speed, will be at 30,000 ft. “If the weather closes <in the Comet will turn back,” said an Air Force spokesman yesterday. West Coast Tomorrow Tomorrow the Comet will be seen over Westport at 10.29 a.m., 29 minutes after leaving Harewood. At 10.46 a.m. it will reach Greymouth, and at 10.57$ a.m. be over Hokitika. kelson was to have been included on tomorrow’s flight, but instead a circuit of that city will be made on Wednesday, if the weather permits, while the Comet is returning to Whenuapai.