Plane Capsizes.

Fiji Airway’s First Mishap.

FIJI AIRWAYS, LTD., which was or ganised to maintain an air service in the group by means of seaplanes, suffered its first mishap on May 22, when one of its seaplanes capsized in Suva Harbour.

The machine was piloted by Captain Fenton, who was to have taken up two

passengers on a short trial flight, and was taxi-ing when the accident occurred.

As the ’plane was making a turn, one wing dipped and, at the same moment, a gust of wind caught the other and overturned the ’plane, which remained tail up for some time while the occu pants scrambled out of the cockpit and were rescued by launches which im mediately put off.

The Public Works Department’s motor vessel “Derek” was soon on the scene and, after considerable difficulty, suc ceeded in getting the swamped ’plane aboard and taking it ashore.

The actual capsize did not damage the machine seriously beyond a wetting; but in the process of being lifted and taken ashore the frame and fabric suffered considerably. Captain Cross, managing director of Fiji Airways, explained that this was unavoidable, owing to the awk ward position the ’plane was in when it capsized. The mishap, he said, was a remarkable demonstration of the buoy ancy of ’planes of this type; for, al though upside down with the floats com pletely out of the water, she remained afloat for some time, despite the dead weight of the engine.

The Company’s other ’plane, a cabin machine, had to make a forced landing a few days before the ;nishap to its sister machine, owing to a propeller bolt breaking while it was on its way to Suva from Sigatoka. However, the ma chine suffered no damage and the de fect was soon put right.

At Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on May 22, 16,000 cases of oranges were shipped by the “Makura” for Wellington, New Zealand.

The first air-mail seaplane, conducted by Fiji Airways, Ltd., leaving the Siga toka River, at Sigatoka. This is a great boon to Western Fiji. Sigatoka residents can now reach Suva, the capital, in 60 minutes.