RECORD FLIGHT FROM CHRISTCHURCH TO AUCKLAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4465, 14 June 1930, Page 1

RECORD FLIGHT FROM CHRISTCHURCH TO AUCKLAND.

CAPTAIN BUCKLEY’S PERFORMANCE. Auckland, June 12. A record speed for air travel in New Zealand was established by ■Flight-Lieutenant M. W, Buckley 10-day, when he flew one of the Government Fairey F aeroplanes from the Sock'buru aerodrome, ChijLstchnrch, to TTobsonvMe Air Base, Auckland, in three hours and forty minutes. It was a non-stop Might, and the distance by the route followed was calculated by (he pilot to he 532 miles. The average speed, that is ground speed, was thus 145 miles an hour.

Corporal W. Temple accompanied Flight-Lieut. Buckley as mechanic.

A. southerly gale enabled this great speed to he attained. iFlight-Liout. Buckley said that at times the velocity of the gale leached 50 miles an hour. The instruments showed that the air speed of the ’plane varied bet ween 105 and 110 miles an hour, therefore the average velocity of the? gale during the journey was between 35 and 10 miles an hour, since the average ground distance covered in eaeli hour of the flight was 145 miles.

Soekhurn was left.at 0.50 a.m., and the landing at Hobsonvillo made at 1.30 p.m. The return journey to Christchurch for Flighl-Lieut. Buckley mid Corporal Temple will take a long lime in contrast with the 3 hours and 40 minutes which brought them here. They left by the 7.40 p.m. express to-night and by train and boat can reach their destination mi Saturday morning.

The -water in the River Main in Germany was so low in March that the “hunger island” between Dot-tcl-bneli and ■Mainstoekhoini was visible for the first time since 1803. The “island” is a gravelly reef some 1051). long. Aliftiont tradition declares that its appearance forelclls ;i year of drought and had harvests.