600 MILE FLIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 135, 29 August 1927, Page 13

600 MILE FLIGHT

(Continued from Page 1).CAPTAIN FINDLAY REACHES AUCKLAND FIVE HOURS’ FLYING TIME In the actual flying time of five hours three minutes Captain J. L. Findlay, M.C., of the Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch, and his mechanic, Sergeant W. S. Simpson, completed a 600-miles flight when they arrived at Auckland from Christchurch yesterday afternoon. LYN the landing ground at Mangere, about one mile's walk from the road, a small but expectant crowd awaited from mid-day onwards for the arrival of the machine. There were many false alarms as eager eyes swept the horizon, all keen to have “first sight.” Finally, there came faintly through the air, a buzz hardly audible, and sounding as if from miles away. The excitement became more intense. Soon the Bristol Fighter was clearly seen, making towards Auckland, but on picking up the signal fires of gorse and rubbish, which had been speedily lit, she turned and headed for the landing ground. Then came that real airplane engine drone as she approached nearer. The aviators waved to responses from below as they circled the field before swooping down between the two signal fires to effect a perfect landing. Before the plane had come to a standstill, the watchers had rushed towards it to face the two occupants with cameras and offer greetings and ask questions. “I did something like that at Blenheim, only the ground was softer there,” said Captain Findlay when complimented on his fine landing. ACCIDENT AT BLENHEIM The only hitch in the flight was the unfortunate accident at Blenheim, when the landing ground selected proved too soft and the De Haviland 50 turned completely over "as its wheels sank deeply into the soil. However the machine was not damaged to any extent, and the airmen came out of the mild crash uninjured. Captain Buckley, of Wigram, was quickly advised concerning the accident, and early that afternoon he arrived at Blenheim with the Bristol fighter for Captain Findlay and Sergeant Simpson to continue their journey. Leaving Blenheim at 2.15, they arrived at Hawera at 4. p.m., but it was then found, after refuelling, that it was too late to make an attempt to land at Auckland before dusk “At Hawera they welcomed us like Lindberghs,” said Captain Findlay, The last lap of the journey from the Taranaki town to Auckland was favoured with exceptionally fine weather, and was completed in two hours. Throughout the whole trip splendid flying conditions were obtained Altitudes of 4,000 ft. to 5,000 ft, were maintained over the land, and about 6,000 ft. when crossing Cook Strait. At these levels it was found rather cold, but the scarcity of suitable landing places necessitated high flying to allow for plenty of gliding distance to the best landing possible in the event of engine trouble. The flight completed yesterday is the longest but one made in New Zealand, the exception being the flight from Timaru to Auckland, made by Mr. J. C. Mercer in 1921.