METEOR JET-PLANE OUT OF ACTION

Chronicle (Levin), 22 March 1946, Page 2

METEOR JET-PLANE OUT OF ACTION

— Press Association

FAULT IN LANDING GEAR

By Telegrapfi-

AUCKLAND, March 21. ' A minor fault in the s]u»ck absorber, parl of tlie landing gear. of the Mcte-)." jet-plane resulted in the necessity i'or the aircraft l,ieing declarcd unscrviceable after compieting tlie first part of its scheduled flight in N. rth Auckland today. As a result, it wa.-' necessaiy to cancel J'urther flying. Replacement of a sinall part, an es'sential rubber ring, is necessary before the aircraft can be flovvn again, and everv ( fl'ort is being made to seeure a suilable spare. li was stated, however, that the llights planned had merely been postponed. Flown by Scpmdron-Leader Mclvay,' thc Meteor left Ardmore at 10 o'cloek this morning and landed at AVaipapakauri, where it drew a surprisingly large crowd. The visitors took a keen interest in tlie jet-plane, which is total ly unlike any airciaft seen in the area previously. After passing over towns included in the morning 's itmerary, the JMoteor returned to Auckland, breaking eloud over Mission Bav at 1 o'.-lock and landing at Ardmore -live minutes later. It was then that an cxamination shovved that a defective shoek absor'ber, which had previously been noted as dcteriorating, was unfit for furtlier use until a part had been replaced. i