An Air Service For New Zealand

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 138, 1 September 1927, Page 11

An Air Service For New Zealand

SIR ALAN COBHAM BUSY By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Received 9.40 a.m. LONDON, Wednesday. SIR ALAN COBHAM states that he and Captain Graham White, on behalf of a New Zealand syndicate, are assisting in the organisation of a permanent air service for Australia and New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The service is to start in 1928, but the plans are not yet complete.

A STOUTLY-DESIGNED all-metal '* r *- flying-boat of between SOO and 1,000 h.p., accommodating 12 passengers, wit . mails and baggage, will probably form the nucleus of the fleet. Concerning the report that two Wellington airmen propose a flight to Australia, Sir Alan Cobham said any ordinary machine should negotiate such a short journey. Enthusiasts should concentrate on the practical side of linking up the Pacific Islands with a regular service. Before this was possible, however, routes must be surveyed. It was problematical whether it would be a commercial proposition; but the prospects were bright. He was satisfied he had found a suitable type of machine, which had the benefit of experience of recent long-distance flights.—A. and N.Z.

FLIGHT TO OTTAWA

DRAMATIC DEPARTURE AN INTREPID PRINCESS Reed. 11.40 a.m. LONDON, Wed. The Imperial Airways pilots Captain Hamilton and Lieutenant-Colonel Minchin left the Upavon airdrome in Wiltshire this morning in an attempt to make a non-stop flight to Ottawa, Canada. They were accompanied by Princess Lowenstein-Wertheim. The scenes at the commencement of the Atlantic flight were most dramatic. Captain Hamilton and LieutenantColonel Minchin did not sleep a wink all night. AVith the dawn came a strong easterly wind. Airmen gathered together in the ghostly mist, shook their heads, and gave a verdict that it was impossible to take off under such conditions, but Captain Hamilton was determined. He jumped into the waiting car and made a tour of inspection of the eastward section of the airdrome. Watchers on Salisbury Plain saw the great headlights sweeping the ground. He returned and consulted Lieut.-Colonel Minchin, and decided to take off in another direction. Thereupon the monoplane was manhandled across country by 40 men. While this was occurring, Princess Loewenstein-Wertheim arrived in a large limousine, accompanied by the Archbishop of Cardiff, and three priests The princess left her London home shortly after midnight, and called at Devizes and picked up the archbishop. When preparations were complete she stood in the shelter of a wing. In the half-light, the archbishop blessed the airplane, whereupon the princess kneeled and kissed the episcopal ring. The prelate raised his hand and gave a blessing, adding, “I will not forget to pray for you.” Then be placed his hands on the airman's shoulders, shaking each affectionately. The princess stepped to her, seat in a wicker-cane chair among the luggage. The airplane ran 1,000 yards. There were several anxious moments, for she narrowly missed an ambulance and then a line of fir-trees. SURPRISE CAUSED The departure caused surprise as it was announced last evening that the weather on the Atlantic would be unfavourable for tbe next two or three days. Even more surprising was the decision of the princess to accompany the airmen. She is helping them to finance the venture, and had the right to go, nevertheless Colonel Minchin recently said he did not know if they would be taking her as a passenger.

The machine being used for tbe flight is a Fokker-Jupiter monoplane. It was specially constructed at Amsterdam.

If this flight is successful Mr. Charles Levine, the American millionaire, says ne will abandon his proposed transatlantic flight. Instead he says he will attempt to establish a record for a long-distance flight eastwards.

PRINCESS AN ENGLISHWOMAN A British official wireless message states that the Princess LoewensteinWertheim Is the first woman to fly the Atlantic. She Is an Englishwoman by birth, being a daughter of the fourth Earl of Mexborough, her maiden name being Lady Anne Savile. She married in 1897 the German Prince Loewenstein-Wertheim, who was killed two years later In fighting for the Spaniards against the Americans In the Phillipines. In 1918 she became a British subject again. The princess is an intrepid airwoman. She learned to fly before the war, and has had many adventures in tbe air. In 1923 she entered a machine in the race for the King’s Cup, and herself accompanied the pilot in the circular air tour of Britain.—A. and N.Z.

COLLISION IN MID-AIR

DISASTER IN BLIZZARD

MISSING AMERICAN

FLIGHT ACROSS TASMAN

ATTEMPT FROM WELLINGTON RUMOURS NOT JUSTIFIED Press Association. DANNEVIRKE, To-day. The reference made by Sir Alan Cobham in a cablegram to-day regarding a trans-Tasman flight by two Wellington airmen is based on newspaper rumours which at the moment are not justified. Dannevirke men actively connected with the venture say that until their financial arrangements are completed they have nothing to announce, beyond the fact that the newspapers have no authority at present to meni tion names.

The proposed venture is being largely organised from Dannevirke. If it successfully develops full details will be given. At present those responsible are reticent.

FRENCH PILOT INCINERATED Reed. 9.5 a.m. PARIS, Wed. Two airplanes collided and were telescoped in mid-air at Petit Clainart. One fell to the earth like a stone, struck an electric cable and burst into flames. The pilot was incinerated. The other plane, in spite of a crushed wing, landed safely.—A. and N.Z.

FLIGHT ROUND WORLD

CONSTANTINOPLE REACHED Received 9.5 a.m. CONSTANTINOPLE, Wed. The American airmen, Messrs. William Brock and Edward Schlee, who are attempting to fly round the world in the monoplane Pride of Detroit, arrived at Constantinople this morning.—A. and N.Z.-Sun.

PILOT’S TERRIBLE PLIGHT Reed. 11.26 a.m. LONDON, "Wednes. The Innsbruck correspondent of “The Times” says that Alpine guides seeking the Yugoslav military plane, which disappeared while flying through a mountain blizzard, on August 27, found the demolished plane in a glacier. It had apparently hit the face of the mountain.

The pilot was frost-bitten, and had compound fractures of both legs. He was alive. His companion was frozen to death while seeking him.—Times.

Received 9.5 a.m. KINGSTON (Jamaica), Wednesday. The Norwegian steamer Christian Krohg reported sighting Captain Redfern 24 hours after the latter departed from Brunswick. The vessel exchanged signals with Redfern, after which the flier pointed his plane in the direction of land, as the ship indicated It, and continued the flight. The ship’s log gives the position as 165 miles north of the nearest point of the Venezuelan coast.—A. and N.Z.

ANOTHER FLIGHT TO-DAY

INSPECTION OF WAIKATO Another observation flight is to be made this afternoon by Group-Captain P. F. M. Fellowes and Captain J. L. Findlay. If visibility is good the plane will go toward the Waikato. Major T. M. Wilkes, Director of Air Services in New Zealand, is to make a tour in a motor-car this afternoon to see the areas flown over yesterday.