AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1928, Page 6

AVIATION

HURLEY’S FLIGHT

SCENE AT TAKE-OFF. ,

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

SYDNEY, Oct. 80

Three hundred people'forsook their be<ls early x in the morning, in order to,.see the Spirit of Australia set out on her record-breaking attempt on a flight from Australia to London, and a return flight, and to wish the airmen Godspeed.

Apparently the Defence Department heads decided to chill late Lord Nelson and to turn a blind eye towards Flying Officer Owen’s absence from duty, letting the matter go at an official expression of depreciation., a.s already mentioned. Anyhow Owen took his nlaeo in the plane, after what was evidently a-most friendly talk with Sir Neville Howse, the Minister for Health who was present to give the venture a semi-official blessing on behalf of the Fed er a 1 Government. The plane carries’Betters from Mr Bruce to Mr Baldwin, from Cardinal Coretti to the Pope; and from the local loyal Fascists to- Signor Mussolini. The mascots include a small statue of.,St. Christopher, tlie patron saint of motoring, -a ikl ‘also a piece of the propel lor blade of Ross and Keith Smith’s plane.

The latter mascot excited a comment from Lieut- Ulm., who was present: “That’s a historic piece of wood,” he said. ' . .'

The people gathered in the early morn, braving an extremely cold wind that searched the plain’, and gaz-ng through the hangar windows at the aeroplane inside. Just after four o’clock the plane was wheeled out, and the engine was started and warmed up while the onlookers watched, with chattering teeth as the dawn vanquished the moonlight.-

The - airmens’ farewells were then > said, and they (dimbed into, their machine, the Air Force men having given everything a final test and having looked over the engines. The voice of the engines then rose to a roar, and the Spirit of Australia taxied - across the ground. Then she arose and circled the drome, and set a course west-nor-west’ for Ondnadatta, where they should arrive this evening.

The crew were dressed in ordinary clothes, discarding the conventional flying gear. Captain Hurley’s ; chief concern seemed to be a bowler hat which he hopes to make historic by upsetting the amenities at Calcutta and Croydon, which have never,yet been startled bv the vision of suck an orthodox headgear existing in an aeroplane.