TOUR BY ’PLANE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1932, Page 8

TOUR BY ’PLANE

FILM OFFICIAL. YISITS BRANCHES A BIG COMMERCIAL FLIGHT. ( : AUCELAND, October 11. , ~,Qn the, after deck of • the-. Monterey which passed through Auckland yesterday on! the way to ..Sydney, was a giant monoplane swathed in canvas coverings,. In it ■ three .of the Monterey’a passengers wilL-leave Sydney, next ; week-end on one of t*:e longest commercial flights yet attempted. - i ’’ ... -The party comprises Mr Arthur M. Loew,; vice-president in charge of the Department of Metro-Goldwyin-M'dyer, Ltd.-, Captain Ja nes 81. DmkIso n£ a well-known American .pilot,’’and Mr J. Rosthal. In his position as head of the firm’s foreign department, Mr Loew controls, the Metro operations outside of the United States; “To visit all thp , more important branch .. offices in . the , ordinary way would take a. considerable time,” Mr Loew said. “By. using an aeroplane ■we shall be .able to visit, the various countries,,. attend to .all the necessary business; and be. back in New York in December.,” '

“Xho itinerary;,, necessitates a considerable amount of flying,” said Captain: Dickson yesterday.. .“Altogether we shall cover 30,000 miles by air 11,000 miles by sea; Earler this year I made, a.special, flight with Mr,.Loew to Sbuth America, and the machine functioned perfectly. It is quite equal to the task ahead.” The monoplane, "a "Lockheed Orion named “Spirit of Fun”,, .was built Vio the end of- last year for Mr Hal Poach, the well-known film producer: .and.actor. It is fitted with a 450 horse-power enginee r and. is capable-of a maximum speed .of 220 miles ai\ hour, with'*# ■'crurJiWg:' speed of 180.”;