AOTEAROA ARRIVES
LANDING AT AUCKLAND AFTER RECORD TRIP TASMAN CROSSED IN EIGHT HOURS. SERVICE TO START PROBABLY IN NOVEMBER. ißy Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 28. Completing her I'2 days’ delivery flight from Southampton, the Tasman Empire Airways’ Hying-boat, Aotearoa, alighted on the Auckland harbour just after 2.30 o’clock this afternoon, having made ihe crossing from Sydney with tin 1 aid of a following wind in approximately seven hours 20 minutes. Thus she easily beat the previous record of nine hours and a quarter, put up by the Centaurus in December, 1937.
The Aotearoa’s arrival had been forecast the night before for about--3.30 p.m., but, after it have become known that she was flying ahead of schedule, crowds began to gather around the Mechanic’s Bay base of Tasman Empire Airways and on Campbell’s Point early in the afternoon. In spite of rain, which was falling intermittently, by 2 o'clock several thousand people had assembled, and many more were sitting in cars along the Waterfront Road. Prospects of a good view of the arrival were not bright till, a little after 2 o’clock, the sky in the west and south began to lighten and diluted sunshine gleamed fitfully on the harbour waters. The wind-sock on the end of the breakwater indicated a gentle westerly breeze. Inside the base building was a large official party and a score or more of other guests. When the rain ceased a battery of motion-picture cameras was set up on the flat roof, from which the whole expanse of the harbour could be seen. Press photographers also found the roof a good vantage point. Just before the half hour the Aotearoa made a sudden appearance over North Head, emerging from the mist fringing a big rainstorm which covered Hauraki Gulf. After circling twice she came down on the harbour in a welter of foam and was soon safely berthed. Less than 15 minutes after his craft had alighted, the now familiar figure of Captain Burgess emerged through the opened door, and the whole ships company, together with four, aircraft engineers, who were passengers, marched up the staging to an accompaniment of applause and cheers. They were met by the port health officer, Dr Watson, and conducted to the examination room, where formalities were completed in a minute or two. Immediately after the official reception which was brief, Captain Burgess had a happy meeting with his wife and little son. His baby daughter, whom he had not seen, was deemed too young to be present. A lane had to be cleared by police through a crowd of several hundred cheering people before Captain Burgess and Mrs Burgess could reach the car which carried them home. After’ the delivery of two other Tasman flying-boats, the regular service between Auckland and Sydney will probably be started in November. A statement was made tonight byUnion Airways in confirmation .of information received from Sydney that it was hoped the Australia and the Awarua, the two remaining flyingboats to be used on the crossing, would be flown tp New Zealand in October.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 August 1939, Page 5
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509AOTEAROA ARRIVES Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 August 1939, Page 5
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