FLYING IN AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20096, 27 November 1930, Page 7

FLYING IN AUSTRALIA.

YOUNGEST WOMAN PILOT. (FROM oun, own coubbspondeht.' SYDNEY, November 20. Misß Bebe Griffiths, who qualified recently at the Goulburn (N.S.W-) Aero Club fpr her pilot's certificate, is only .18, and thus becomes the youngest woman pilot in Australia, if not in the British Empire. She is taking part in the club's round-Australia air race for, women next January, and is very hopeful of carrying off the first prize of £.IOOO. The competitors have to be graduates-of the club. Miss Griffiths is a swimmer of more than ordinary class, and the day before she went to Goulburn. for her first lesson —until then she had: never, been in an aeroplane—r-she dived to . the. bottom of the sea brought handfuls of seaweed to the surface, and strung it round her neck, with the remark, "I've been to the bottom of the sea; now I'm going on top of the clouds." This adventurous young lady,, who confesses tq. having fallen under the spell of . Amy Jalm-. son, evidently gets her. flair for'mechan-; ies from her grandfather,' an engineer, who designed the well-known Mort's Dock in Sydney. Rebe Griffiths met Amy Johnson at a public reception, since when she has thought of practically nothing but flying, • - ...