TASMAN FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1928, Page 3

TASMAN FLIGHT

[By Telegraph, Per Press Association.]

ATOODY’S proposals (Received this dnv «t 10. IS a .in A SYDNEY, Jau. 19. Afoody now states Airs .Moody will not accompany him on the proposed Tasman flight but be will take as wireless operator, Osmond Jolley. Airs Moody is a niece of Sir Thomas AineKen/.ie. Moody says he proposes to fly the Afnseot to New Plymouth which is about three hundred miles shorter than Aloncrielf’s and Hood’s route, being about 1150 land miles. He believes it can be covered in about twelve hours. Before embarking on the Tasman flight it is the intention of the airmen to undertake test flights for at least thirty or forty hours over land, including one endurance flight, of about seventeen hours, which is longer than it will take 1o reach New Zealand. The machine will have a cruising radius of 2200 miles at an average speed of one hundred miles jau- hour. He will carry three compasses and a reliable wireless transmitter. 'I be time of the flight will ,’,o arranged so as to arrive in New Zealand early in the afternoon.

CAPTAIN EIGHTS KTATEAIENT

DANNEVIRKE. Jan. 19

Captain Eight on his return to Dannevirke takes strong exception to the statements in Australian newspapers that the New Zealand airmen were under any financial embarrassment in Australia. The number ot statements published are quite untrue. Afexsrs A. AlcNicol. and R. J. MacDonald, trustees of the tlig”t fund state that at no time did they receive word that the men needed nionev in Australia, and as far as can be seen at present the fund is capable of meeting all expenses in connect,on with it. Captain Eight furtner states that the only reason why the flight was made at the particular time was because the weather report was lav-on,-able and the airmen decided to take advantage of it.