TASMAN FLIGHT.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1924, Page 4

TASMAN FLIGHT.

I'.’ASV—]H'T COSTLY

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Apropos ot I lie .Melbourne cnblep:r;uii iv the* attempt to Hy i'roni Australia to Now Zealand, the Pratt brothers. who are arranging tor the lasmun flight, are Now Zealand aviators. and their proposed enterprise Jia- heen in the minds of a number ol New Zealand pilots tor a lung lime. I he principal diliionhy is iinaiiee, and ! it is estimated that it would cost at--1 least L'lO.dfiO to make the flight. First there is the machine, uml then there, is the cost of making other arrangeinents ami general organisation. Captain 1.. .M. fsitt, of the Sock-1 horn Aerodrome, said to-day that the flight- could he accomplished easily enough, in a good amphibian ntaehiue. such as Si|uadr<ui-leader .Stuart Mao1. si re n is usino „ n his world flight. As hole ;ts the machine could land oil water and was fitted with wireless, the flight was safe enough. heeause the polits could live on the water for IS hours. A number of New Zealand pilots had been negotiatin'; to make the flight, but they had not been able to interest English constructors. The flight was too far away front tite world centre to he of much use as an advertising stunt. The shortest distance across the Tasman is between Unhurt and the lilnff. as it presents no navigating difficulties, because the compass variation is only about two degrees. “Given a fair wind, and luck with the engine, the flight will be easy,” said Captain Isitt.