AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1927, Page 3

AVIATION.

(Australir n & N.Z. Cable Association.) CAPTAIN FINDLAY’S FLY. AUCKLAND, Auk. 29. Circling; the field once, Captain Findlay swept down between signal fires, effecting a perfect landing. People ran towards the machine with its engine still running and when it had been turned round under power to tlio parking place the aviators faced a battery of cameras and a perfect storm of questions and compliments on his skilful landing. Captain Find'fay said: “ I did something like that at Blenheim, but the ground was softer there.” Smilingly he mentioned that at ilawera they were welcomed like Lindberghs. Splendid flying conditions obtained throughout, said Captain Findlay. Altitudes of 4,000 ft to 5,000 ft were maintained over the land and o,oooft when crossing Cook Strait. It was rather cold at these levels, but the scarcity of suitable landing places rendered it necessary to fly high to allow*for liberal' gliding distances to enable the machine to reach the best landing possible in the event of engine fiiilii.ro. No trouble of any sort was met with. Both the D.H. machine to Blenheim and the Bristol lighter on the rest of the journey behaved splendidly. It was largely on account of the precipitious nature of the centre of the North Island that Findlay skirted the West Const from ITawera until he reached Waikato. Manukau Harbour was crossed at an altitude of about 2,000 ft. The flight demonstrates the- need for recognised landing places en route said Captain Findlay. At present over-much reliance is placed on the engine. All the way to Auckland Mount Kgmont was visible and half way from ITawera the Knikotiras in the South Island stood out clearly. It Is possible that Captain Findlay may fly in Auckland to-da.v. He expects to flyback to Wellington, with a. stop at Hawcra, in a week's time. There he will leave the Bristol fighter to he flown to Christchurch by Captain Buckley, as Captain Findlay expects to pilot the repaired D.H. 50 from Bi'enheim back to Wigrarn aerodrome. 1 I LONDON, Aug. 28. ] An aeroplane 11 Pride of Detroit” 1 passed Plymouth at seven this morn- i ing and landed at Croydon at 10.33. t Bert Henckler in an Avroavin light t airplane left Croydon on Saturday < morning at 5.30 and arrived at Riga < at 4.13 in the afternoon, a non-stop t (light of about twelve hundred miles c over ten different countries.