AERIAL SURVEY OF MANAWATU.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3518, 31 July 1926, Page 2

AERIAL SURVEY OF MANAWATU.

Referring to Thursday’s flight from Christchurch to Foxton, Captain Wilks-said that Captain Buckley, who piloted the plane, experienced no difficulty whatever on the run up and there was a following wind. The distance between the two points was appoximately 300 miles. The machine was a D.H.9 (De Haviland), equipped with a 230 horse-power Siddclly-Puma engine. The average air speed was 90 —95 miles per hour. Captain Buckley left the aerodrome at Christchurch at 10.25 a.m. and followed the usual air route to Blenheim, flying at 5000 feet. The ’plane then turned and made a direct line across the straits which is 15 miles wide at. this point. The altitude was altered prior to leaving Blenheim to 10,000 feet to enable a safe passage across the straits should the ’plane develop engine trouble. In explanation of this Captain Wilks said that generally speaking for every 1000 feet a ’plane was up in the air a glide of one mile could be allowed in the event of engine trouble. Thus flying at a height of 10,000 feet. Capt. Buckley could have reached the coast in the event of encountering engine trouble half way across the straits. After cofjsing the straits, the ’plane passed over Cape Terawbiti and followed the coast up to Foxton, arriving here at 1.15 pan. The machine was one that bad been built for bombing during the war.

Capt. Buckley is a New Zealander and is a native of Fairley, South Island. For some years he was associated with the Canterbury, Aviation Co. and the Aerial Transport. Co. of Timaru. He only joined the New Zealand Forces on the 16th July when lie took Capt. Findlay’s place at Sockburn. Capt. Buckley has previously crossed the straits by aeroplane on a trip from. Christchurch to Auckland and back for the Canterbury Aviation Co.

Capt Wilks said that at 1.3 p.m. he received a telegram to say that the ’plane had left Christchurch and was due to arrive in Foxton at 2 p.m. He was able to reply to the wire stating that Capt. Buckley had arrived safely prior to receiving the intimation. An evidence of the rapidity of transport by aeroplane!

In conversation with our representative, Captain Wilks, Director of the Government Aerial Forces, said that Air. F. C. Hay, engineer to the ManawatuOroua River Board, had wired him and asked if a machine could come up to Foxton and take photos of the flooded Alanawatu dis triet. The request had been ac ceded.

It would be rather ambitious to say that the object of the flight was to make an aerial survey of the country. The idea was to make a mosaic by piecing the photos together. Air. Hay was cognisant of the great value these mosaics had been in the case of the Waimakariri and Ashley rivers in the South Island. In the case of the Ashley river the value of an aerial survey had been more truly demonstrated than in that of the Waimakiriri. Although the Waimakiriri had been surveyed at great expense even the aerial mosaic had proved of great value. They had done the Ashley survey and" as a result the engineer had only to go and take a few levels now. This method of observing a river by means of aeroplanes was quick and efficient. Aerial observations would prove invaluable in the future. In fact, they were of National importance, and the Department had recognised this fact. From the air it was possible to see two distinct river beds where the Waimnkiriri river used to flow that would never be associated with the river from the ground. These beds could be tracked by air right from the Sockburn aerodrome. They had aslo made a mosaic of Christchurch which measured about four feet square which showed the present plan of the town to be wrong. Aerial observation was not costly, and il saved a tremendous amount of lime. They could do in a few hours with a ’plane what would take weeks and months to do on land, and even then the work could not be accomplished half as well. The Public Worlcs Department was taking a keen interest in aerial surveys and was now conferring with the aviation branch in connection with obtaining surveys of Lake Alanipouri anr Te Anau and surrounding country which had ue\ei been explored. A large number of local residents paid a visit to the aeroplane on Air. Austin’s property at Himatangi yesterday.

Owing io the non-arrival of some special aviation benzine from Wanganui the survey of the flooded Maimwatu basin was delayed. The machine had only sufficient benzine in the tank to do an hour’s flight. A ease of Plume benzine w r as procured from a passing lorry, however, and a small flight made late in the morning. The aeroplane under the control of Pilot Buckley who w’as accompanied by Air Mechanic Smith as photographer took off at 12.15 p.m. and made a halfhour’s flight. Several good snaps were taken, the camera, a special one for talcing aerial photos, being fixed to the side of the machine. Shortly after the ’plane landed the benzine tank v T as replenished with over 40 gallons of spirits and a flight was made during the greater part of the afternoon. On this occasion Capt. Buckley who was accompanied by Mr. F. C. Hay, engineer to the Manawatu-Oroua,Riv-er Board, commenced operations at

the mouth of the river and followed the Alanawatu right up to Palmerston North. Photos were also taken around Glen Oroua and Kairanga and the Oroua river was traced. Capt.' Buckley informed our repi esentative that he obtained thirty photos yesterday and these were despatched to Palmerston North with Air. Waters (Engineer to the Alanawatu Oroua Power Board) to be developed. The negatives . are expected back to-day and any photos which have not come out clearly will be retaken.

The weather yesterday was ideal for the work, said Capt. Buckley, although he would have preferred more wind for landing purposes to counteract the gliding propensities of the machine.

The paddock where the machine is located is the driest around Foxton and most suitable as a landing ground, but even so, owing to the recent heavy rains, it is very wet and a good deal of manoeuvring was found necessary prior to rising. The ’plane will be here until Alondav. ■

Capt. Wilks left Foxton for Christchurch yesterdav.

As the result of a request from Otaki that lie should land there on his return trip, Capt. Buckley has promised that he will fly low over the township on his return. He cannot stop there without permission from headquarters.