THE GREAT FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1931, Page 6

THE GREAT FLIGHT

A PRESENTATION. At Princess Theatre last evening during an interlude in the performance by the Gloom Chasers, the Australian aviator, Mr Guy Menzies, accompanied by Mr J. A. Murdoch, appeared on teh stage. Mr Murdoch in introducing Mr Menzies to the audience, , eongratuilated the intrepid aviator ,on his airmen. He expressed his pleasure at led that of Lindberg and other noted airmen. He expressed his pleasure at meeting the airman and stated he had two presentations, to make. The first was a'small nugget of gold from Sjome Westland admirers and the second (was two pieces of grepnstonp, one ■ piece in r the . rough' -dn one'" side' and polished on' the’ other, and the other a polished article that only New Zealand* cotild/'produce.4 The Matter gift's .wero..„ from..-the-’fainui vfateHiyi -FThe Tainui family in the long past came to New Zealand in the big canoe on Hiekwater..-Their guCst op-tho evening had come to New Zealand in the big canoe over the top of the'- water. He •had pleasure von behalf iff the good wishers of extending their hearty congratulations on his successful flight and of asking Mr Menzies -Ho' 1 accept the presents. (Loud applause), i . Mr Menzies who was received with continued applause, expressed his deep thanks for the very generous references made by Mr Murdoch and tlia liked heartily the donors for their generous gifts . which he . would treasure as meneiitoes of this his :fir.st visit to Westland. He deeply appreciated the generous hospitality and kindness extended to him by everyone since his arrival .on the Coast and thanked them very sincerely. (Loud applause). A flashlight photo was then taken by visiting pressmen and the proceedings terminated with the audience singing “For he’s a jolly good fellow.”

THE DAMAGED MACHINE. Heiepo district lias been a. very busy one- during the past day or so (here being innumerable vistiors by motor car for the purpose of viewing the Jcene of the landing and the damaged aeroplane. Cars arrived frony.aJl over, the Coast arid the greatest of interest was. shown, the feat having stirred the imagination of the people When the airman arrived at the scene yesterday it was found that memento hunters presumably had taken away many movable articles from the machine, some of them essential to the working lv of the plane, and which Cannot be replaced in New Zealand.. A -req nest - -is ihado in another column for their return by the memento hunters. The location which is sonic two miles from the road, is very soft, in places almost knee deep to walk through. Though some attempts were made to remove the wings,- nothing was done yesterday to move the machine, which will entail considerable labour as the ground is so soft. Mr Menzies returned to Hokitika last evening about 8 o’clock where he was again .subjected toVan ovation and later spoke from Keljers jHotbl door to a large number. ' . ‘V V . AIRMa N’'ff MOVEM ENTS, Mr Guy Afenzies-was given lic-...reception in • Kellers’ HotefpptTfis aftCfiiopiV : to leave at 4 o’clock' for Greymouth where ho will be accorded a public reception this evening. TV/W '< V,. ‘VMr Menzies leaves by train for Christchurch torinorrow' niofliiiigi - H‘e --will j leave the train at Springfield and fly to Christchurch, and will return to Hokitika, at a later date.

ANOTHER INTERVIEW.

A BATTLE AGAINST HIMSELF.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, January 8

In an interview with a Press Association representative, Mr Guy Men«ies said: “I was out to reach Blenheim. The weather, however, caused me to alter my course, for .Christchurch. Had I kept on for Blenheim 1 would have finished up in the sea. I would have readied Christchurch easily, but for the fog over the mountains. When I landed there was enough petrol in the' machine for another two hours’ flying. It was wiso to come down, for here I am safe.” Menzies continued: “Smithy did not know anything about the'trip, and it is true that he said that the bus was unsuitable for the Tasman flight, but 1 had absolute confidence in the machine. The best little engine in the world drives her, and she is as sturdy as a rock. The engine showed no signs of a falter at any part of tlio journey. j “Running out of the head winds, after the start, I struck a comparative calm for a couple of hours. Then there came tail winds, and what weather they brought until I reached the coast! I had a pretty sti'euous.-time

FURTHER PARTICULARS

RECEPTIONS TO AIRMAN

THE DAMAGED MACHINE

Ihe bus bucked about a lot, and I went through some bad blimps. .1 could not see any distance owing to dense- clouds ami heavy rain. One minute 1 was down to within five feet of the stormy sea, and the next 1 was climbing for all I was worth. Sometimes I got as high as if,ooo feet It was no joy-ride, but I scrambled through. Exactly eleven hours after I took off, 1 reached the New Zealand coast near Okarito. Fog was then gathering, and there were thick banks of clouds. AFRAID OF THE RANGES.

' “The mountains I was afraid of, for when there is fog you cannot see them until you are right oil to them. It was time to get down. 1 did not care if I had landed in trees! “Now that it is over, I would not tackle the trip again unless somebody . gave me fifty thousand quid. I was as deaf.,as a post when I landed, and . it was some hours before 1 could hear distinctly. The ,harness held me in ,t.he cockpit, and when 1 I undid the straps .1 fell., head first in the mud. I got a few scratches on the lips, hut nothing much. i was glad the bus did not turn over, and I don’t - think that the damage is serious. She should be ready for work in ten days.” A LON FLY TIM F OF IT. Mr Menzies. said- that at times, he was extremely lonely, and he longed for the sight of a -steamer. There were periods of drowsiness, which lie had to fight against. The biggest battle was against a subconscious mental condition felling him that he was carried off his course. “All the time,” said Mr Menzies, “there was something urging, me lo turn north after I had covered 500 miles. I knew that that would have been fatal, and it was the deilce fighting off those spasms. Many fellows have come to grief through following their promptings instead of their instruments.” A LONG FAST. Mr Menzies on the trip, carried neither . wireless, nor any emergency apparatus in case of a forced landing iii the sea. The light for him was an eleven hours fast, for he carried no food.. The sum total of his luggage was one spare collar, a razor, and a tooth brush.

THE LANDING, In tile course of a statement Mr Guy Menzies mentioned that it was the. danger of hitting the ranges in the fog and cloud that-decided him not to go on to Sockburn. The note he dropped at Okarito was put in a water bottle, and it requested the finder should | point in the- direction of the nearest landing place. Nobody found the bottle however, and the airman had to fossick for himself. He went well inland and seemed to he too close to the ranges, so lie went out and followed the coast north. Harihari settlers saw the plane circling over low trees, and then heard a loud crash, the sound being audible half a mile away. His only injury was a cut lip and some bruises, but he was very lucky. He stated there were less than 200 miles of good visibility. In the wind and rail! when lie landed lie could only tell he was on the West Coast, but he did not know where lie was. He stated he had plenty of humps in crossing, and the weather was foul till he saw the coast. He could have found a good landing place had he known the country. The swamp was so soft that the plane was not much affected. .Menzies only carried with him a couple of bottles of water, sandwiches, fruit, and chocolate, and a supply ill “life savers, which were good for allaying thirst on long flights, lie said he (lid not care if lie- landed on trees after he got to New Zealand. His ambition in flying over was to make the first solo crossing of the Tasman Sea, and lie Felt in the height of delight as soon as he saw the land at Okarito.

mechanics coming over. CHIIISTCH U R CH, Ja nua ry S. Squadron Leader J. L. Findlay, of | Wigra.ni Aerodrome, is sending two •mechanics to the West Coast to-inoi-row to deal with the Southern Cross Junior plane. He hopes repairs will he possible here, hut there may he a difficulty about the prb'p'ellor. I lie Southern Cross Junior has a Gypsy IT. engine, whereas the Wigram machines have Gypsy T. engines. No Air Force machines will be sent to the West Coast.

CHRISTCHURCH RECEPTION.

TO-MOR ROW A FTFRNOON

CHRISTCHURCH, January 8. The Canterbury Aero Club has been advised that Pilot Guy Menzies will arrive at Wigram Aerodrome on Saturday afternoon, where a public welcome will be accorded him. He will travel from the West Coast by motor over the mountains, and will be picked up by aeroplane, and will fly to Wigram. 'jf, the evening, Pilot Menzies, who

has. been a dirt-track rider, will attend a" broadsiding meeting, and will probably give an exhibition ride.

THE LANDING PLACE. ' THE “WORST POSSIBLE.” CHRISTCHURCH, January 8. “.ft is doubtful if Menzies could havW.eiulod his flight anywhere else in New Zealand where ,it would he so hard to find a safe landing place,” said Squadron Leader J. L. Findlay, officeij (;'iu charge of Wigram Aerodrome to-dav. “There might have been a chance of landing at Okarito on the flats by the seashore, but that would be possible only if the tides were favourable and the surface remained firm throughout the rains. That is extremely doubtful too. Menj zies did the host he could under the circumstances. As far as wc are concerned there is no chance of getting him into the air again over there, even if repairs are effected. The aeroplane! will have to he dismantled in part, and railed to Christchurch.” PRESS CRITICISM. OF UNAPPROVED FLIGHTS. SYDNEY, January 8. j Dealing, with Pilot Menzies’ flight, i the “Evening News” to-day features : the editorial comment of. the “Otago Daily Times,” declaring that the absence of any official means in Australia or New .Zealand- trr prevent fool--hardy flights is regrettable. Colonel Brinsmcad,. Director of Civil Aviation, in reply, said that Menzies did not seek permission for the flight, and ii, lie had done so, it could only have been frowned upon and discouragedy but, if it had been a commercial enterprise, carrying a passenger, the Government could have stopped it.

At the same time Col. Brinsmcad said he was greatly relieved that Menzies had got through safely He thoroughly appreciated tile young flyer’s intrepidity. Yet it was inadvisable for any inexperienced person to fake such chances.

.story of flight. PR A LSE FOR MERZIFS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) M DNFY, January 8. The “Sun” newspaper publishes a ,l,n - story of Menzie’s fljg|„ ; icplete with excit'ijig incidents and thrills and Jinnoiiiiecs that Menzies and Al James,.,are preparing for a flight to .Tajhi-ri;*vyj thin a lew months. A . News editorial, commending Menzies, says wo give him full marks, an,i adds that the flight embodies imicli of the spirit so desirable to-da.v m Australia .and also brings the day ol a regular aerial communication with New Zealand nearer. Indeed that wide belt ol seasickness will have lost its terrors.

FINE AND FOOLISH. INSTRUCTOR’S COMMFNT. (Received 9.25 a.m.) •SYDNEY, January 9. Emo and foolish is how Captain Leggatt,- rcJm .gave .. Guy Menzies hisfirst flying lessons, describes the flight to New Zealand. Nobody could" detract from the greatness, of the achievement, but any airman, no mattetr how skilled, who attempts a solo flight across the Tasman in a single engined 'machines is foolish, he said.

1770 CAPT. COOK— -1931 GUY MENZIES. k 0 ""ere you will, you 'never |' ;l j| U p in the air, on earth, or sea Tour true-born Britisher to hail. M a.kiiig; what will he historv. Emblem of all that stands for good N ow' npd hereafter strength 0 f m . w , Z oal, -industry and British blood I n -M,enzies find; his- will to servo E clipjfejJ by none in any sphere Snico Captain Cook first landed, here, ; : .;u! I ' ADV YNC El) TYPE OK MACHINE.

Tbo. Southern Cross .LmiUr is.onc ol the most advanced types of light aeroplane, though ol a t-md no! gbi-Kw-ally regarded ;<s suitable for sustained long-distance flying. It proved a worthy success to the name of Kingston! Smith’s giant Fokker when it carried him from England to Australia in ten days two hours, thus setting the record for the trip. He covered the 12,000 miles without mishap in five days less than Squadron-Leader I fink ler took in 1928.

Curionslv enough Hinkler used Ihe same make ol machine as the Southern Cross Junior, though it has been much improved since then. This Avro-Avian is a single-seater sports model, specially constructed to Kingsford Smith’'--order, and fitted -with a D.ll. Gipsy Mark 11. Engine of 10.1 h.p. Special provision has been made for carrying 113 gallons of fuel, which gives tlm aeroplane a cruising range of about 2000 miles—the longest of any lighf aeroplane yet built. The cruising speed is 'IOO to 101 m.n.li.. hut a maximum speed greater than this by fifteen miles an hour can he developed.

RANGE OF 2000 MILE*, The whole of the front part of the fuselage, which is of welded steel tude construction, is occupied bv a large petrol tank holding 89 gallons. In engine pump as well as a large hand, pumn is used for pumping-petrol from the large tank into the smaller one. which holds 2-1 gallons, and from which the petrol flows to the eiudne bv the force of > r ravily. With lull tanks Tie petrol alone weighs nearly eight

hundredweight, and the machine fully laden, weighs approximately 21501b5. On his flight to Australia' in the same aeroplane Kingsford Smith found liis average consumption of fuel to he about fi.Jr gallons per hot'ir. Thus tho vdimensions of the machine approximate those of -a Moth (except in flving cause) with which most people in New Zealand arc familiar, but the junior machine-K in', Size, nothing-, like the. big mononlauo of the same name in w'hjeh-Jl'o-first- flight across the Tasman was made over two years ago. for tips' 'hus'rt cruising range of nearly 4.{)()() in,rips ,

" -.. A LONG SPAN, ; • .... When piloted on its-rbyord brealvrim 'flight-from E ; ugJand to Australia, tlw Southern Cross .Junior was ’hot flown or a longer distance non-stop than- that fovcrorl Jvv it ;on WVi 1 \\ On eighth day of bis flight'“Kingsford. Smith made Singapore from Rafrgoor --a distance of 1200 miles. On two other hops he covered Over 1100 miles.

The Southern Cross carried wireless equinment. though this failed at one stage during the journey over ihe Taxman. The smaller edition carried no wireless, though it possesses tlv> most complete set of fog and blind-living equipment ever installed in a light aero] ilane.