AIR FLIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1920, Page 4

AIR FLIGHT.

'PLANE CROSSES TARANAK.I. JOURNEY IX ROUGH WEATHER. THREE HOURS PLYING FROM PALMKRSTON. A flight from I'ahnerston North to New Plymouth was made yesterday in Messrs Walsh Hros.' Avro machine, piloted by Captain Russell, .I).l<\C., Croix de liuerro, who is the first airman to ily across Taranaki. Owing to the inilitl'erent Hying weather experienced on the journey tlie arrival at New Plymouth was delayed some time, and the machine did not reach the'landing-place at the racecourse till XISO p.m, The scheduled hour of arrival was about one o'clock, and for some time previous to this numbers of people had been gathering on the course, some eventually to drift away after a long wait. There were some hundreds' assembled, however, before the landing, and this crowd increased later.

Shortly before 3.H0 the expectations of the crowd neared realisation, when the lirst hint of the approach of the machine was given by the loud buzz* of the motors, and the dim outline of the 'plane was next seen in tlie air eastward of Avenue Road, only to disappear again in tlie clouds. The Avrp eventually emerged into clear sight, and the red, white, and blue distinguishing marks underneath the wings could be noticed. Captain Russell circled and brought the machine safely along the course, and eventually turned facing the people's stand. Hearty applause greeted the pilot as he doffed his helmet. Soon there was an eager gathering around the aeroplane, and some went too close in the view of those in charge of, the machine, and many warnings were given to keep away from the wings. Those in charge of the machine were approached by a number of people with inquiries as to whether pa.-i-enger flights would be made, and tlie booking of seals commenced immediately. After Captain Russell had descended,.lie had not got many yards from the machine when he was requested to halt a minute for a lady photographer, and ,he was quickly ''snapped." Other passengers 'by the machine were Mr. R. Dexter (of Auckland) and Mr. Going, .one of Messrs Walsh Bros.' seaplane pilots.

THE JOURNEY. The 'plane left Palmerston North at J&'.'M a.m., but the actual flying time for the distance (about 107 miles liy the railway, which the airman followed almost throughout (he journey) was approximately three hours. Very unfavorable flying weather prevailed, and the Avro encountered a' forty miles' per hour head-wind and low clouds all the way. The maximum altitude reached on the journey was 3".flf) feet. Wane/mm was reached' in fiftv-five minutes, the arrival being at 11:2j.' The flight was resumed at 1 o'clock, and at 2.-20 a descent had to be made at Stratford for fuel, Captain Russell landing his machine on the .Model Farm property. £J 2,5; i « start was made again. At Loppcrfon Junction tlie rain, which had been fulling since Patea was passed, ceased, and the 'plane .arrived, at its destination at ;1.30, in an overcast atmosphere.. r "The machine ran well all the wav," said Captain Rusr-ell to a Daily News representative, when approached at the landing-ground. This was due to the careful tuning up and attention of the mechanic, Mr. Wally "Ross, prior ,to the journey. Mr. Ross arrived in New Plymouth by train last night. A PASSENGER'S ACTOt'NT.

Air. K. Dexter, one of (lie founders of tlie Kohiniarama School of Flying, which trained Captain Russell and other New Zcalanders who did such splendid work in the aerial forces during the war, was a passenger from Palmei'st.on. Speaking to a News man, he said the trip was a very interesting one. Owing to a head-wind they were about ten minutes behind schedule time at Wanganui, where the,y stopped and had morning tea with friends near the grounds at Westmorc, The atmosphere was fairly clear until they reached Patea, where they had to come down from 1300 feet altitude to about 700 feet. The wind was now fairly strong, and on reaching the Stratford district Captain Russell decided to alight, which he did on the Model Dairy Farm. ''There was only one person in sight when we came down," said Mr. Dexter, ''and she was an old lady who bore every trace of surprise at the big bird r.wooping down. But in a minute or two the people came pouring on to the grounds, ears racing down from town, and children—well, they must have broken out from school, for it seemed that ovm' child in Stratford and the neighboring districts was there. Newton KingVi staff kindly and thoughtfully brought out a ease benzine. Captain Russell thought New Plymouth Vvas further away than was the ease, and had suflicient oil aboard, but he appreciated the extra case of benzine."

At Stratford the party stayed about half an hour, and then headed for New Plymouth. The pilot had not been to Taranaki before, and did not know the landmarks, but he kept to the railway track. The nuitindiin itself was quite invisible; indeed it was hard, to see anything. Near New Plymouth they had peeps of the town through the clouds, and, near the Boys' High School, they shut off and came down, turning nicely and landing perfectly. PASSENGER TRIPS. A number of passengers had flights during the afternoon, and the first ascent was made about 4.15, in the present e of an interested crowd of spectators. The following is tlie list of passengers yesterday: I!. Whale, P. Farrell, h. Simpson, W. Gardiner, R. Hooker, and IS. Day. Weather permitting flights will be made from 10 a.m. to-day, and bookings may be made on the ground. EXCITEMENT AT STRATFORD. THE MACHINE LANDS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Last Night. Slratford was in a state of excitement to-day, and. from eleven o'clock onwards all eyes were directed skywards in the hope of seeing the aeroplane. To the majority of the townspeople it was to be their first sight of an aeroplane in '(he air, but even 1 to the hardy veterans of the late war who had seen thousands of aeroplanes, the prospect of seeing another; particularly flying over Stratford, was sufficient novelty to make them interested. According to the B&rtieulars avaU&kl*

this morning, tlio aeroplane was due to pass over .Stratford shortly after 11 o'clock, and about tins time crowds be-* gan. to congregate in Broadway, with eyes direct I'd to the sky. But tlie aeroplane did nut make its appearance in Stratford until shortly after 2 o'clock, and its arrival was heralded by a loud buzzing sound. Immediately all eye* were directed towards the south, and th« machine quickly came into full View. It circled round the town several times, and then, heading towards the cast, effected a landing on the property of the Model Dairy Farm, about two miles from the town. It waft then that th» excitement reached its tensest stage. Motor cars and vehicles of every description c|iiiekly loaded up, atid the wild scramble down the Kast Road commenced. Husinefis men, shop girls, and in fact everyone who cmild get a lift, joined the rush, and Broadway soon resembled the "deserted village.? A.crowd of nearly five hundred people gathered at tlie lauding place. Kager inquiries were mafic as to what was wrong, but this trouble was- nothing worse than a fear by the airmen that they had .not sufficient benzine. Two tins of benzine were soon forthcoming, and tit five, minutes to three the aeroplane rose from the ground and set off towards New Plymouth. At the meeting of the Borough Council to-night it was decided to send a letter to Captain Russell, congratulating him on being the first airman to..visit Stratford.