WOMAN ALOFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 236, 5 October 1928, Page 7

WOMAN ALOFT.

FIVE MILES HIGH.

Lady Heath's Great Flight In

Moth.

MAN'S RECORD BROKEN.

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 11.30 a.m.j RUGBY, October 4. Ladv Heath, the famous woman aviator, formerly Mrs. Elliott Lynn, broke the solo altitude record at Croydon today, by reaching over 26,000 feet, or nearly five miles. She accomplished the feat in a Moth aeroplane fitted with a Cirrus engine. The altitude was recorded by a sealed barograph in the tail' of the machine. The previous British official height record was one of 20,000 feet, made by Captain de Havilland. The greatest unofficial recorded height in this country was attained just after the war in a de Havilland Napier bombing 'plane by Captain Lang, who reached 30,000 feet.

ASCENT IN AN HOUR.

TO EARTH IN TEN MINUTES. (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 4. Lady Heath took 67 minutes to reach the maximum altitude but only ten minutes to return to earth. * She said the frost formed outside of her goggles. It was so cold that her engine stopped, or she could have gone higher. The visibility was wonderful. She saw the coast of France from high above Croydon Heath. She carried two sealed baragraphs, which automatically recorded the height.

SPEED RECORD.

WEATHER PREVENTS ATTEMPT (British Official Wireless.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, October 4. The weather has not been entirely favourable for further trial flights on the Supermarine Napier S5 seaplane in which Flight-Lieutenant D'Arcy Greig will attempt to set up a new speed record. D'Arcy Greig is still at Calshot, near Southampton, where the flight will be made. In view of the public interest in the proposed attempt arrangements have been made by the British Broadcasting Company to broadcast an expert eyewitness' account of the flight when it takes place.

AIR FATALITY.

Fog Causes 'Plane To Crash Into Mountain. TWO KILLED. (United Service.) NEW YORK, October 4. A message from Seattle says a fog was responsible for another fatal aeroplane smash in the Pacific Coast airways. While crossing a canyon near Roseburg, Oregon, Mr. Grant Donaldson's 'plane was suddenly enveloped in fog. He was unable to get his bearings and crashed into the side of a mountain. The machine burst into flames and two passengers were burnt to death. The driver of a motor car on a highway in the vicinity heard a crash, and thought a meteor had fallen, until he saw Donaldson running down the hillside calling for help.

AT MANDALAY

Sodden Ground Prevents

Take-off.

HUEHENFELD SAFE,

(United Service.) (Received 11.30 a.m.)

DELHI, October 4.

A delayed telegram from Mandalay states that Baron Huehenfeld, who was reported as missing on a flight from Germany to Tokyo, was held up there owing to the sodden state of ground rendering a take-off impossible.

CRASH INTO MOUNTAIN.

PASSENGERS INCINERATED.

(Australian Press Assn.-United Service.)

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

PARIS, October 4.

A commercial aeroplane with two passengers and mails from Barcelona to Perpignan struck the mountain of Gerona in Spain and caught fire. The pilot and passengers were incinerated.