Originally published August 4, 1936
QUARTER of an hour ahead of schedule, and carrying two passengers and a small quantity of mail, the black and yellow twin-motored D. H. Dragon Rapide plane of Adelaide Air Service, which will shortly be merged with other companies into Australian National Airways, shot down to a perfect three-point landing at the Mildura aerodrome at 2pm yesterday, and after a brief stay hopped off on the last stage of its inaugural air-mail flight from Adelaide to Melbourne, via Renmark and Broken Hill.
Leaving Parafield aerodrome, Adelaide at 9am (South Australian time), the ‘plane, piloted by Captain Gaton Kirkman, and carrying three passengers, arrived at Renmark one hour later, after flying almost head-on into a 20-mile-an-hour wind for the greater part of the way.
After discharging mails at Renmark, the ‘plane took Mr and Mrs Rainbow, of Berri, aboard, and right on the scheduled time of 10.15am (South Australian time) commenced the one and a half hour flight to Broken Hill.
Again headwinds were experienced, and rough weather compelled Captain Kirkman to take his machine to 10,000 feet, where conditions were slightly better.
The three passengers who had joined the ‘plane at Adelaide disembarked at the northern terminus, but Mr and Mrs Rainbow had booked through to Melbourne.
After refuelling and taking aboard more mails, the ‘plane left Broken Hill at 12.15pm (South Australian time), arriving at Mildura at 2pm (Victorian time).
There was a large crowd of spectators gathered at the Mildura aerodrome to welcome the ‘plane, the arrival of which marked another milestone in the history of the settlement.
Owing to the fact that the service was well ahead of schedule, however, city residents were still arriving when the ‘plane was leaving at 2.25pm.
Captain Kirkman said that the flight had been fairly rough in parts, but by rising to 10,000 feet he had avoided the worst.
He intended to make the flight to Melbourne by way of Ballarat, thus avoiding the misty and rough weather which had been forecast for the higher parts of the Dividing Range.
Although one of the passengers had been slightly air-sick, the other was quite bright, and was apparently enjoying the trip.
Neither Mr nor Mrs Rainbow left the ‘plane at Mildura.
