AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1939, Page 5

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

THE AOTEAROA’S FLIGHT TO NEW ZEALAND ARRIVAL AT SINGAPORE. DUE IN AUCKLAND ON MONDAY. (By Telegrapn—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. A day ahead of schedule, the Tasman flying-boat Aoteai oa. on Ihe delivery Hight I o New Zealand, under 1 he command of <'apt a i n -I. \\ . Ihi rgess. arrived al Singapore on Sunday evening, according to advice received in Wellington yesterday by I'nion Airways of New Zealand. Ltd. The flying-boat covered the 2000 odd miles between Calcutta and Singapore in one day, instead of two days, with an overnight stop at Bangkok, as originally intended. It left Calcutta at dawn on Sunday, and stopped on route no longer than was necessary to replenish the fuel tanks. It was also intended that the flyingboat should stop at Singapore for one day for an engine check after having completed 8000 miles, but as Singapore was reached a day ahead of schedule it is not expected that the Aotearoa will leave there before dawn tomorrow on the next stage of the flight to New Zealand. The flying-boat is expected al Auckland next Monday, as originally planned. WEATHER REPORTS INAUGURATION OF SYSTEM IN OCTOBER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright SYDNEY. August 21. Discussing the forthcoming transTasman flying-boat service today, Mr Mares, the Government meteorologist said that efficient meteorological facilities would be operating for the inauguration of the service in October. He was convinced the machines would be able to run to schedule throughout most of the year, as they would be able to fly high enough to miss most of the bad weather. Mr Mares added that there would be complete co-ordination here with the meteorological stations and the Rose Bay terminal base, which would provide a 24-hours forecasting service, supplementing the radio service while the machines were flying to and from New Zealand. SUGGESTED SURVEY PACIFIC ISLAND BASES. VIFAVS OF AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES. (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The “Sydney Morning Herald's" aviation writer says aviation authorities in Sydney believe that the flyingboat Aotearoa, now on her way from Southampton to Sydney and Auckland, could more usefully be employed on a survey of possible island bases throughout the Pacific than on the suggested trial flight between Auckland and America, a route already surveyed.