DUST STORM SENDS FLYING-BOAT BACK TO N.Z.

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1948, Page 5

DUST STORM SENDS FLYING-BOAT BACK TO N.Z.

Only Four Hundred Miles to go P.A. AUCKLAND, Oct. 11. When within 400 miles of the Australian coast, on its Auckland to Sydney crossing this afternoon, the flying-boat New Zealand was forced to return to Auckland, in the face of an aoproaching dust storm which had blotted out visibility at the Rose Bav and Rathmines alighting bases in New South Wales. R.M.A. Auckland, which made the eastbound trip was delayed for two hours at Rose Bay by the, "Storm, du* managed to take off for Auckland at 10 a.m. during a short lull when the storm lifted. The Auckland landed at 5. 45 p.m. and the New Zealand 20 minutes later.

Shortly after leaving Mechanic’s Bay at 8 a.m., the pilot of the New Zealand, Captain D. W. G. Kees’ng, was advised from the Sydney Flying Control Centre that a strong westerlv wind had carried dust clouds from Central New South Wales right into the heart of Sydnev. and well out to sea. The visibility at the Rose Bay had been reduced to a minimum and the conditions at the Rathmines emergency base, 60 miles from Sydney, were even worse owing to dust. In the hope that the storm would clear by the time of its arrival in Sydnev, the New Zealand continued on its course, constant rad’o contact being maintained with the Sydnev Control Office for weather conditions BLOTTED OUT At 1.40 n.m.. when the aircraft had reached the limit of the range from which it could return to Auckland, both Australian bases were still blot ted out by dust, and Captain Keesing headed the aircraft back to Mechanic’s Bay. Although flying conditions were perfect up to the point where the aircraft turned back, the crew was able to see a dark, cloud of dust extending across the sky about 100 miles in front of the plane.' The New Zealand alighted at Mechanic’s Bav at 6.5 n.m., with fuel sufficient for three hours more flying, “here were 20 passengers on board. Captain J. G. Kennedy, who piloted the Auckland through t«ie dust storm for about 180 miles out to sea. said that, while the aircraft was airborne, visibility was reduced to about 500 yards. He could barely see white cans of the waves from a height of 1500 feet.

The first intimation that passengers and the crew had of the storm was when they awoke in Sydney and saw a foe. like a mass, swirling a’x'Uf their windows. At times patches cf dust cloud lifted, but then V would close in again, said Captain Kennedy. After waiting for two hours, ho took off in a lull in the storm, but, in the air, the dust was thicker, and he had Io fly “blind” by instruments until well out. to sea.

The 29 passengers on the Auckland were unperturbed gy their experience, although one pointed out that, after the plane had taken off it could not return to Sydney, and they would have been helpless in a case engine trouble, or the need for an emergency landing. “Wo seemed to be flying through a yellow filmy cloud, and T could see nothing but the tail and the wings,” remarked one passenger. A Sydney resident said , that dust storms were frequent in New South Wales, but few penetrated into Sydney and as far out to sea as this one.