AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1927, Page 3

AVIATION.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

COMING PACIFIC FLIGHT,

(Received this dav at 12.25 p.m.l NEW YORK, Sept. 28,

Smith will hop off from Seattle either on Sunday or Monday morning for Oakland ail-port, which is to be the starting point for the flight to Australia. The plane will fly from Seattle tg Fort Lewis, Tacoma, in the first-qiinip and then he filled for it non-stop flight to Oakland. Smith and Ulm will ride as passengers to Oakland, D. Phillip Saltzman having been engaged to pilot the ship in California. Snltzman has charge of the reconditioning of the plane for the Australian flight.. Smith revealed the route he will take across the Pacific. Ho said: “We will hit, out from Oakland for Honolulu on our first hop. I hope wo shall set a new mark for this trip. Our ship should make 105 miles an hour and this should do the trick. The next jump is to New Guinea. This is going to be the real test of tho plane and we can breathe with relief when that is over. From New Guinea we fly to "Normanton (Queensland). The next hop will complete tho journey. It will be to Brisbane.” Smith stated that besides himself, Ulm Anderson and nn Australian are now on the wny to Oakland and will join tho flight. The latter’s name he did not know. Anderson is already at Oakland awaiting the plane. Smith said: “We are taking every precaution to guard against mishaps at sea. Our gasolene tanks are fixed so that we shall use our eight hundred gallons holder first. If we are forced down we shall lie able to use it to float the plane. Then we have three smaller tanks which a can also be used as floats, if necessary. If we use radio it will be installed at Onkland. The plane although completely overhauled and tuned up in Seattle will bo taken down and gono over again in Oakland. We are doing this thing right because we Want tho ship to be in perfect condition.” Tho plane is now carefully guarded day nnd night nt Seattle. Spectators are not a flowed to view it.

U. Anderson, the aviator, has arrived nt San Francisco from Honolulu. He says he selected Barking Sands field on the island of Kauai as the Hawaiian point of departure for the 3,800 miles hop to New Britain island The plane will probably be christened Southern Cross. It has five tanks with a capacity of 1,400 gallons, making the crafts total weight 1500 pounds fully loaded. It will start from Oakland on October 10th or 12th if the weather is good.