START NEXT WEEK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20017, 16 August 1939, Page 13

START NEXT WEEK

PACIFIC FLIGHT

GIANT BOEING PLANE

NEW ROUTE SURVEY

’FRISCO TO AUCKLAND

RESUMPTION OF SERVICE

(Pit Pres» Aasoomtioii. > AUCKLAND, this day

Re-introducing the trans-Pacific service of Pan-American Airways, a huge Boeing flying-boat is expected to leave San Francisco on Tuesday next on a preliminary flight to New Zealand. It is anticipated that the machine will tend at Auckland on. Saturday. August 26, almost coinciding with the arrival of the transTasman flying boa’ 1 ; Aotearoa, which is scheduled to end her delivery flight from Southampton at Auckland on the following day.

The New Zealand' representative of Pan-American Airways, Mr. Harold Gatty, announced that August 22 had been, fixed as the tentative date for the dipper's departure from San Francisco to Auckland. The route, he added, would be via Honolulu. Canton Island' and Noumea. Weather and other factors would make it difficult to fix any precise schedule for the clipper, more particularly as it is making a survey flight. However, no doubt the first leg of the journey—San Francisco to Honolulu —will be undertaken as a night flight. Leaving San Francisco at 5 p.m. on Monday, August 21, New Zealand time 1.30 p.m. Tuesday, the Clipper will cover 2440 miles in approximately 15 hours, arriving at Honolulu at local time of 7.30 on Tuesday morning. It dsi customary for this flight to be undertaken -at night by the company's machines, one'reason being the highly accurate ’weather forecasting which is possible through the co-operation of shipping in. the area. , New Canton Base On the second stage of the flight, the Clipper is expected to take off from Honolulu on Wednesday morning for Canton Island where the company’s new base is now available. The distance is 1903 miles and it is likely that the, island will be reached early in the evening of the same day. A journey of 1974 miles is involved in the third! day’s flight from Canton Island to the newly-established base at Noumea, New Caledonia. A start from Canton Island 1 is likely to be made on Thursday morning and, as- a result of crossing the international date line -and losing a day, the local time -at Noumea when the Boeing arrives will be late afternoon on Friday.

The flight to Auckland, a distance of 1117 miles, will be undertaken on Saturday and, if probable plans are maintained, -the Clipper should land on Waitemata -harbour during the afternoon. She will move alongside he landing stage at Pan-American Airways base in Mechanics’ Bay, where she will be cleared by the port health authorities. Later in the day she will be transferred further out in the bay to -her overnight moorings. No details- have been received as to the personnel which will man the Clipper on the flight to New Zealand. However, it is considered that the crew wi-l'l consist of at least eight men, comprising -the captain, first officer, second officer, third officer, two radio operators, engineer and a steward. No Passengers or Mails As the flying-boat is undertaking what is -essentially a survey flight over a changed route, no passengers r mails will be carried. The Clipper’s stay in Auckland is likely to be limited to one or two days, and she will then return to San Francisco.

Although regarded) as a survey of the route, .the flight next week is of considerably greater significance as it marks the introduction of a regular fortnightly service by the company across the South Pacific. The final work is being performed •-it the base in readiness for the Clipper'sl arrival. So far as the meteorological services are concerned, the actual service routine is now being carried out, the company’s meteorologist at Auckland, Mr. E. B. Buxton, preparing flight forecasts and analyses and compiling weather maps. Complete weather information covering conditions in the South Pacific area is radioed ito Honolulu and to the bases at Canton Island 1 and Noumea to enable them to prepare similar maps.

A considerable quantity of equipment has been removed from the store and prepared for immediate use. A spare double row Cyclone aero engine, four of which power the Clipper, has been mounted. Rated at 1500 horse-power, the 14-cylinder radial motor is available for prompt service should it be at any time required for replacement. Junction of Services For the second .time Auckland will form 'the junction of 'two ocean airway- services, the probable arrival of the American Clipper almost coinciding with the plans of the transTasman flying-boat Acxtearoa, which is being flown from Southampton There was a similar occasion in December, 1937, when the late Captain Musick and the Samoan Clipper flew from the United States and at Auckland met Captain Burgess of Imperial Airways (lying-boat Ccntaurus. The bases of 'the itrans-Paeific and transTasman services stand side by side -in Mechanics’ Bay and when the craft of (each company rest at thfir moorings, there will be tangible evidence of the "act that Auckland is the junction of a series of air services that not only pan (lie globe but also extend to the Antipodes. One of six sister slvios specially built for the company by the Boeing

taetory at Seatfje, the South Seas Clipper is one of the largest aircraft 'n the world, being approximately twice the size of the Samoan Clipper and the Empire flying-boat. Centayrus. Its immense size enables it to carry over 70 passengers on short journeys, and 30 people, apart from the crew and two and a half tons of freight and mail, on long ocean stages. Every conceivable device is incorporated in the design, and the hull is built on. the two-deck principle. With a maximum, speed of 200 miles an hour, it has a range in excess of 5000 miles.