RECORD FLIGHT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 20, 20 December 1932, Page 7

RECORD FLIGHT

AIRS MOLLISON'S FEAT. SAD WEATHER EXPERIENCED. FLYING BEFORE TORNADO. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received December 20, 11.65 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 18.

A huge crowd greeted Mrs J. A. Mollison on her arrival at Croydon from Capetown. Although delayed by exceptionally bad weather, she established a fresh record for the journey from Capetown to London.

Mrs Mollison’s return journey of 6200 miles occupied seven days seven hours five minutes, compared with four days six hours 53 minutes on the outward flight. The previous best time for the Capetown to London flight was that of the Duchess of Bedford and Captain Barnard who, in 1930, completed the flight in 10 days. After landing at Croydon, where she was welcomed on behalf of the Air Ministry and received numerous congratulatory messages, including one from the King and another from the Royal Aeronautical Society, Mrs Mollison proceeded to her home in the West End, being greeted along the route by cheering crowds. Describing her journey, she said the worst experience was an all night flight before a tornado between Duala and Mossamedes on the way south when she was blown 100 miles out to sea and had considerable difficulty in fighting her way back to land. The same part of the flight spelt danger on the way home. She encountered thick clouds and, in order to avoid the 13,000 feet mountains in the neighbourhood, had again to go out to sea, finding the course by flying very low along the coastline.

When flying through the valley in the Atlas Mountains, she struggled against a 75 miles an hour wind and had to proceed crabwise up the valley in imminent danger of being driven against the rocky sides. She met almost every kind of weather, including snow, during the journey, but showed few signs of fatigue on reaching Croydon. She paid a warm tribute to the Puss Moth machine and the Gipsy engine which, she said, never missed a revolution.

MR HINKLER’S PLANS. FLIGHT POSTPONED. Reoeived December 20, 8.30 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 19. Mr Bert Hinkler told the Sun Service that his flight to Australia had been postponed. He must go later owing to business reasons and may attempt to make a record then. He confirmed the report that he has accepted a circus contract in the meantime.