FLIGHT FROM HAWAII

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 79, 27 December 1937, Page 7

FLIGHT FROM HAWAII

— Press Assooiation.)

31 Hours Actual Flying Time PERFECT CONDITIONS

(By Telegraph

AUCKLAND. Last Night. After covering the distance from Honolulu to Auckland in just under 31 hours' actual flying time the Pan-American Airways Samoan clipper made a perfect landing on Waitemata Harbour just after 4' o'clock this afternoon. The huge holiday crowd' on the waterfront and occupying points of vantage on the hilltops overlooking the harbour saw the clipper make her second landing on Waitemata, and subsequently the Primx Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, joined with the chairman of the Harbour Board, the Hon. T. Bloodworth, and the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, in extending greetings to Captain Edwin G. Musick and his crew.

Perfect weather conditions ruled for the clipper 's arrival, and a murmur of excitement from the crowd greeted her first appearah.ee Sying high over Stanley Point on the north shore of the harbour. The giant flying-boat circled the city and then dropped down over North Head to land in the harbour. Patrol launches had kept the runway elear and before long the clipper had taxied up the harbour and turned in past the eastern tide deflector to run up to the mooring stage fronting the PanAmerican administrative offices in Mechanics' Bay. An impressive sight was prqsented as the silvery hull of the flying-boat shone up against the background of Ihe Blue Star motorship Empire Star just leaving for Napier. The clipper quickly moored. After inspeetion by tlie port health officer and castoms Captain Musick and the crew came ashore for the officia" ITavbour Board reception. Within a "few minutes the flying-b'oat was surrounded by pleasure craft ranging from i small yaehts to large cruising launches, and 'swimmers even dived into the harbour off the breakwater to swim under the massive spreading winds and round the

giant hull. After the reception the erew of the clipper dispersed to their various hotels. In an interview Captain Musick said throughout the trip from Honolulu weather conditions had been perfect and good flying-time had been maintaineu all the way. The ischooner Tradewind was now quartered at Kingman Reef as a permanent depot ship and at Pago Pago landing and base facilities had been procided similar to those at Auckland. Regarding the Auckland base in Mechanics' Bay, Captain Musick said the facilities were excellent. Bathed in summer sunshine, the city had looked magnificent from the air, and he had no doubt that in the near future American passengers would experience the same thrill that his crew had enjoyed on seeing Auckland after a long and uneventful trip from Pago Pago. Captain Musick said the purpose of this second flight over the important aerial trade route between America and New Zealand was to make a final survey and inspeet the ground facilities constructed at various points. That important stago of work was , now flnalised. "When we leave New Zealand on December 29 we will inaugurate a regular air mail and express service on a biweekly scliedule from New Zealand to America," said the captain. "Another stage of the service will be inauguratod in due time with the large 72-passenger trans-oceanie clippers now being built in Beattie.

"One of tlie flrst of these sliips no^v nearing completion has been given the narue Soutli Seas Clipper and will provide facilities for passenger carrying on this new airway, which parallels one of the most important aerial trade routes in the world. "I understand that Within a few days Imperial Airways will seud one of their pianes from Australia to New Zealand aeross the Tasman Sea on a route survey niission similar to that we have just completed across the south Pacific and linking Australia and New Zealand. "These undertakings, jointly considered, bring reality to a long-planned programme to tie Australia into the rapidly developing airways systems of the world," concluded Captain Musick.