AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1928, Page 2

AVIATION

PACIFIC FLIGHT. START FOR SUVA. Australian Pr©3s Assn.—United Service HONOLULU, June 3. The Southern Cross started for Suva at five-twenty this morning from Barking Sands on Kawai Island. The monoplane hopped off from Wheeler Field, for Barking Sands, Kawai island, at 4.30 p.m. yesterday, landed at 6 o’clock.

PROGRESS OF FLIGHT. SUVA, June 4. At 8 p.m. the position of the Southern Cross was: Latitude 1.3 S degrees north; longtitude 169.35 degrees west. She apparently was then in a direct lino for Canton Island. HONOLULU, June 3. A message received here at 10.43 p.m. said that the Southern Cross had crossed the Equator, and was within 200 miles of Canton Island, in tho Phoenix group.

The Southern Cross radioed at 11 p.m. : “ All O.K. Going good.” AUCKLAND, June 4.

Amateurs in Auckland are receiving messages from the Southern Cross similar to those cabled from Honolulu.

One report at 5.40 to-night gives the position: 0.41 deg. south; longitude 170.18 deg. west. Doing well.”

flight news. TANA I, May 2

The Southern Cross arrived ex-Hono-lulu at six o’clock on Saturday nfternon. The plane hops off for Suva at daybreak on Sunday. HONOLULU, June 2.

Whether or not Barking Sands are suitable for taking off to-morrow morning is a question raised many times during the past few days. It was never a question with Kingsford Smith. After a brief tour ho described it “a better field than the one we had at Oakland.” During the day a meticulous inspection of their plane convinced the fliers that the machine was ready to go to sea. He said that for, the first 1000 miles of his course southward, his altitude would not exceed 500 feet, with the motors set to render full efficiency. At sea level he believed he would be able to increase the mileage of fuel burned by ten per cent, if he flies low.

Dispelling; all the qualms of the curious, Kingsford Smith made three things plain to Ms,, questioners immediately following his arrival on this field. After dusk to-night ho said that Suva as the .positive destination. We will off-take with the break of dawn tomorrow morning and hold a straight course for Suva. If the trade winds favour as they .should, we will land at Suva late on Monday afternoon, with the gas tanks almost dry. If adverse winds hound, us we will land at Caution Island off Phoenix Group, set up our radio and inform the world of our plight and wait until rescued. PROGRESS OF FLIGHT. (Received this day at 8.50 a.in.) HONOLULU, June 4. At mid-night 1 the Southern Cross gave its position as: Latitude, 2 degrees south; longtitude, 170.33 west; placing the ’plane eighteen hundred miles from Barking Sands and sixty miles north-east by east of Canton Island, according to- calculations here. At one a.m. the Southern Cross radioed: “Over Phoenix Island.” A radio received here at 3.42 a.m. stated: “Doing fine; been expecting to sight land, hut none yet sighted. It is not so clear as one would like.”

A portion of a garbled message picked up at 5.5 a.m., said: “All’s well.” The opinion is expressed that the rising sun was interfering with the reception of the plane’s signals, but they consider the difficulty is only temporary.

At five, the Southern Cross stated it was five hundred miles from Suva aijd encountering had weather. At 6.40 the ’plane radioed: “Hello Samoa ! Have poor flying conditions and we’re dodging rain clouds. It would be unfortunate if it wasn’t for our old friend the moon.”

A message at 7.8 a.m. said: “We are getting storm clouds now. It is just gray dawn. Pilot Smith is manoeuvring as we are in combat with the elements.”

Ten minutes later it was reported

“ The motors are racing. At an altitude of eight thousand feet we passed through clouds which meet us every way we turn. Black clouds are under us now. It is really stormy but we are riding high at 8,500 feet.” Another ten minutes later the report said: “ Have to manoeuvre around some of the worst looking clouds. It is up and down. We are dropping to near the surface, now three thousand feet.”

The altitude of the Southern Cross dropped 7,700 feet in fiitcen minutes. At 7.35 it radioed: “Down to eight hundred; a stiff breeze blowing.”

At 8.30 a bulletin stated: “ Trying to get compass bearings from someone Please stand by.”

- SUVA, June 4. Southern Cross radio messages were picked up .at 6 a.m.

SUVA, June 5

At 8.50 a.m., Suva time, the Southern Cross was stated to have seven hours fuel available. At 9.22 a Suva radio received a message: “ Please ask the authorities to keep the public entirely away during and after the landing. Would greatly appreciate a roped enclosure and policemen to mind the ’plane. Thanks for improvement to reception ground.—Ulm.” The airmen are expected to arrive at Suva at 11.45 p.m. HONOLULU, June 5. A naval radio station here picked up a message from the Tutuila radio station, saving it was in direct communication with the Southern Cross, which at 10. sa.m. was five hundred miles north of Suva. At 10.50 the Southern Cross was reported four hundred miles north of Suva. Heavy headwinds were encountered and seven hours gas was left. ALL AVELL. WELLINGTON, June 4. A wireless message picked up at Wellington to-night, stated: “At 8.18 p.m., Sydney time (equal to 9.48 p.m. New Zealand time), a radio message from the Southern Cross received at Sydnev reported ‘ All well.’ ” AVELLIXGTOX, June 4. I A later wireless message, picked up in AA’ellington from Sydney, timed 8.50 p.m. (Sydney time) which is equal to 10.20 pirn. New Zealand time, said : The following message lias been received from the Southern Cross: — “ Now dropped to 1000 feet. Going good.”

The Sydney radio operator commented that, apparently, the storm had lieen passed over.”

ARRIVING AT FIJI. WELLINGTON, June 5. The Secretary of the General Post Office lias received the following message from the radio station, Wellington: “ 11.45 a.m. aeroplane Southern Cross signalled just sightetd Fiji Islands. Regards to all operators. I will reel in now.” The latter part of the message evidently refers to hauling in his trailing aerial and ceasing transmission.