THE PILOT’S STORY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 8 January 1931, Page 5

THE PILOT’S STORY

WEATHER BUMPY AND BAD

BENZINE ALMOST EXHAUSTED (By Telegraph—Press Association) HOKITIKA, This Day. After flying from Sydney to New Zealand ill just over twelve hours, Guy Monties, a pupil of the New South Wales Aero Club, and a. son of a Sydney doctor, was forced down on the banks of the Little Wanganui River on the West Coast of the South Island, about seven miles from the village of Ilari Ilari. Leaving Sydney at 3 a.m. New Zealand time, Menzies sighted the New Zealand coast off OkaritoJ 83 miles south of Hokitika, and turning north followed the coast line in seai'di of a suitable landing place, hut was unable to find one, and with his benzine running low he was compelled to turn inland and make a forced landing. The ’plane overturned, the crash being heard half a mile away. Nearby farmers who saw the crash rushed to the machine and were jin' time to see Menzies crawl out unhurt, The aviator stated that the weather was bumpy and bad all the way. He would not do the trip again for £50,000. He encountered much tog and rain and particularly unfavourable conditions on the latter part of the journey. He had only half a gallon of petrol left when he landed on what appeared to be a suitable field. The machine hit a hummock and tuimed over, hut he was glad to say that the damage was not serious and could easily be repaired. The plane would be dismantled and railed to Christchurch, as early as possible. The forced landing was made in rain and a strong south-westerly wind. Menzies was conveyed to Hokitika by motor and received a most enthusiastic welcome, after which he was occupied with telephone calls to Sydney. In reply to inquiries Menzies said he was born, in Sydney and is 32 years of age. , This was his first trip to New Zealand. ! BLENHEIM THE OBJECTIVE I i A TRYING JOURNEY ! HOKITIKA, This Day. Guy Menzies, seen this morning, was bright and fresh after a night’s sleep. He is being bombarded on every appearance by photographers and autograph 'hunters, lie states that his journey was a very trying one. He had no visibility of Mt. Cook or other mountains, low clouds, rain and heavy winds making travelling difficult. Northerly winds prevented’ his attempting to make the Blenheim landing ground which was his intention. Had he continued on that course he would have failed to make land. Travelling was difficult. At times he had an altitude of 10,000 feet, and at others was only a few feet off tho surface of the water. The machine functioned perfectly throughout. When he reached Okarito he endeavoured to find a landing place but the high tide prevented landing on the bench, and he went northwards. Seeing a green level patch he thought a. good landing could be made and came down into La Fontaine swamp which was waterlogged, and the

machine overturned. When it shuck (he ground he managed to free himself and Was licit injured. Assistance soon came from settlers whose hospitality and attention was kindly appreciated. SALVAGING THE MACHINE Menzies is leaving for the scene of tho landing to get the machine out of the swamp, fie states that he is as fit as a fiddle. Lie is receiving a royal reception wherever he appears. An inspection of tho machine was made this morning. There does not appear to be much damage except lo the propellor and an endeavour is to he made to sledge the machine out to the road and dismantle and send it to Christchurch for repairs. The Mayor, Mr Perry, this morning waited on the airman and extended his congratulations.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT

CONFIDENCE IN MACHINE NO “JOY RIDE” CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. In an interview with a Press Association representative Guy Menzies said: “I was out to reach Blenheim but the weather caused me to alter my course for Christchurch. Had I kept on for Blenheim I would have finished up in the sea. 1 would have reached Christchurch easily but for fog over the mountains, as when 1 landed there was enough petrol in the machine, for another two hours flying. It was wise to come down and here I am sale. “Smithy” did not know anything about the trip and it is true he said the ’bus was unsuitable for a Tasman flight, but I 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 sign of falter at any part of the journey. “Running out of head wind I struck comparative calm for a couple of hours. Then came tail winds and until I reached the coast I had a pretty strenuous time. The ’bus bucked about a lot and I went through some bad bumps. I couid not see any distance owing to dense clouds and heavy rain. One minute I was down to within five feet of the stormy sea and the next 1 was climbing for all I was worth. Sometimes 1 got as high as IKOOO feet. It was no joy ride,* but I scrambled through. Exactly eleven hours after I took off I reached the New Zealand coast near Okarito. Fog was gathering and there were thick banks of clouds on the mountains I was afraid of, for when there is fog you cannot see them until you are right on to them. It was time to get down, and I did not care if I had landed in the trees. Now that it is over I would not tackle the trip again unless somebody gave me £50,000 quid. I was as deaf as a post when I landed and it was some hours before I could hear distinctly. The harness held me in the cockpit and when I undid Jhe straps I fell head-first into the mud. I got a few scratches on the lips but nothing much. I was glad the ’bus did not turn over and I don’t think the damage serious. Slije should be ready for work in ten days.” Pilot Menzies said that at lime he was extremely lonely and longed for the sight of a steamer There were periods of drowsiness which, he had lo fight against. The biggest battle was against the subconscious mental condition telling him that he was being carried off his course-

“All 'lie time,” added ibe aviator, “there wa s something urging me to turn north after I had covered 500 milas. 1 knew that that would have been fatal aiid it was difficult fighting off those spasms. Many fellows have come to grief through following their, promptings instead of-their instruments.” Pilot Menzies on the trip- carried neither wireless nor emergency apparatus in case of forced landing in the sea. The flight for him was an eleven-hour fast, for he carried no food. The sum total jf his luggage was one spnro collar, a razor, and a toothbrush

BIT OF BAD LUCK A BROADCAST TALK WELLINGTON, This Day. Menzies was broadcast from 3YA Christchurch at 10.30 p.m. with the assistance of a. toll line provided by the Rost and Telegraph Department. Despite Menzies’ remarks that lie was tired and worried his voice sounded clear and fresh and came over the air very distinctly. He said : “I have got to thank all the people I have met so far in New Zealand for the wonderful .welcome they have given, me. Tho trip over was rather trying. The weather was rather rough, otherwise everything was O.K. I had a bit of bad luck in landing, hut I expect the machine will be ready in a couple of days, and I will be coming over to Christchurch. I expect to be in New Zealand for a fortnight or three weeks. I will spend a considerable amount of tluiL time in. Christchurch.”,

ADMIRATION EXPRESSED

MESSAGE FROM ACTING PRIME MINISTER NOTABLE INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT WELLINGTON This Day. “I would like to express admiration on behalf of the Government of tho courageous flight made by Menzies,” the Hon .E. A. Ransom said. “It is obvious that the aviator must have laid his plans well, although quietly and unostentatiously. We appreciate the interest that the remarkable flight will create in tho possibilities of future air travel across the Tasman, an ocean hitherto successfully crossed only by that master aviator Kingsford Smith and his party in the Southern Cross. It is well known that the Tasman is a stretch of water regarded as most difficult from the viewpoint of air navigation on account of the sudden changes in weather conditions, so that Menzies lone flight must be regarded as one of the most notable from the viewpoint of individual achievement. It is unfortunate that Menzies was unable to land in Wellington, if that were his objective, but it is the hope of the Government to be able to welcome him personally in the near future and extend to him the congratulations of the people of New Zealand. The flight provides a notable commentary upon, the times in which we live. It is a wonderful thing that a man can land unexpectedly in New Zealand and announce that lie has flown from Australia overnight.”

FORMER ADVENTURES

SHOOTING KANGAROOS FROM THE AIR CRASH ON GOLF LINKS ' DUNEDIN, This Day. Shooting kangaroos from tho air on a 20,000 mile flight over Australia and a crash on golf links at Sydney are among the adventures of the airman Guy Menzies. A Dunedin lady who knows Menzies and his family well, states lie is 22 years of age, the son of a Macquarie street specialist, and a grandson of a former Postmaster-General of Australia. Discouraged by his people from broadsiding, Menzies rode on a cinder track with Don Kaye in 1929. He and Pilot

Molloy did an Australian business flight of 20,000 miles, and near the Queensland border they took up passengers, shooting kangaroos from tho air with successful results. Menzies crashed in a Gipsy Moth when taking off from the Urunga golf links in December, 1929. (From the foregoing messages some doubt appears t.o exist as to the correct age of Menzies.)

PREVIOUS FLIGHTS

TRAGIC FAILURE RECALLED

There has been only one other successful flight over the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand —the crossing made on 11th September, 1928, by Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith, Lieut. C. T. P. Uhn, H. A. Litchfield, and T. IT. McWilliams, in the famous monoplane Southern Cross, who also made a return journey on 14th October. The crossing from Sydney to Christchurch was singularly successful, the aviators being aided hv a following wind, though severely handicapped by an electrical storm and the failure of their radio apparatus. The crossing took 14 hours 25 minutes, hut the return journey, from Blenheim to Sydney, took 22 hours 51 minutes, conditions being extremely had, Uhn being taken with illness and the aviators landing when their petrol was almost exhausted —only three gallons being left. Fog surrounded them near Newcastle, and for two hours after they sighted the Australian coast the flyers were manoeuvring in the blackness of a moonless night, looking for Richmond Aerodrome. This double journey followed the tragic failure of Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood, who took off at the Richmond Aerodrome before daylight on the morning of 10th January, 1928, and were never hoard of again. Their flight was made in the Ao-tea-Roa, a Rvan monoplane of American making. Tiie ill-fated airmen set out for TienIlium Racecourse, and were without ability to send radio messages or expert ‘knowledge of navigation. Many reports were received from all over the country that they had been sighted, but so far no due to their disappearance has been found. When the Southern Cross made her flight a wreath was dropped into the Tasman Sea in memory of these brave pioneers.