ONCE AGAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1940, Page 4

ONCE AGAIN

AOTEAROA CROSSES TASMAN. IN SLIGHTLY OVER 11 HOURS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. February 8. Meeting head winds for practically the whole distance, the Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat. Aotearoa crossed the Tasman from Auckland to Sydney in slightly over 11 hours. She carried as passengers the Marquess of Willingdon, British Government representative at the centennial celebrations, and the Marchioness of Willingdon; Lord Errington. secretary to the marquess; Senator the Hon P. A. M. Mcßride, Assistant Minister of Commerce in Australia, and Mrs Mcßride; and two members of the Marquess of Willingdons personal staff. Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for Great Britain in New Zealand, and Captain Lord Dormer, A.D.C. to the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, were among those who went to the air base to bid farewell to the visitors. The flying-boat rose off the water at 8.5 a.m. Because of the winds prevailing it was expected that the Aotearoa would take longer over the crossing than usual, and she was not expected at Sydney till about 7 p.m. She demonstrated her punctuality by arriving at 7.4 p.m. It was reported that persistent head winds had marked the flight. At one stage there was a surface wind of 39 knots dead ahead, equal to light gale force, and the flight was made at low altitudes, experience showing that when westerly winds are blowing on the Tasman they increase in strength with height. The average speed for crossing was about 105 miles an hour.