MISS JOHNSON'S STORY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 145, 23 June 1930, Page 11

MISS JOHNSON'S STORY

START EEOM CB,OYT)ON

A THRILLING BEGINNING

■■■■'■;-'o (Copyright.) . . ' V*:;.': .■.-••■ ':'■■".'.'■ .No.'.-JX,-.';'-^-,' .'- r.. v ■Miss Johnson, in concluding her personal story of her flight, dcsoriljos the scene at Croydon when she started, in a fog and with fog .reported in the Channel. A contrast to the scene at Croydon w,is her reception in Australia Ivy thousands of excited. onlookers. Her final words are of thanks to all ( . those who made'her flight possible. ' Final preparations were made, and 1 went to bed about 9 p.m. As I was tumbling between the sheets, [ paused aiid'tricd to analyse my feelings.' Weeks before I had viewed this night in prospect, and thought it would be one of feverish excitement; but there -I was, calmly seeking slumber in the most matter-of-fact manner. I was not excited. I .was: not nervous. I anticipated no dangers. I was imbued with one burning desire—to have a good night's rest. This, I thought,' was tho most vital need; bocause it was possible that sleep would be very limited during the flight. So I shut my eyes; and then realised Hiat Croydon was on a busy thoroughfare. The unceasing traffic, was distracting, and I could not sleep. Father •was iv a back room Aicro it was supposed to be quiet>y« So at 11, o'clock I rang the bell furiously, and sent the maid to tell father I wanted to change beds. "SVp did so; but it was little better. Finally, I fell asleep, and rested for about half an hour. At 3.30 I was up and got dressed in the dark. Engineers had been working all night on the Jason, and when I arrived at the aerodrome everything was in readiness for. tho take-off— everything except the weather. DESTROYERS IN READINESS. Advices were received that thick fog enveloped the Channel, and it was desired that the flight bo delayed. ' Every littlo while they asked me to wait another -half an hour. Instructions were given to "circle in and cancel out." That meant I was to fly over the last .airport in England and the first' airport ,in France. Should I fail to "cancel out. on tho other side within a few hours, then destroyers would bo s'onfc out to search for me. So vast were tho instructions given and ihe regulations issued concerning tho flight over tho Channel that this waterway seemed to bo ono of tho most dangerous and formidable of the entire journey. Howl have since .laughed over those regulations, especially after crossing tho long stretch of water to Atamboea, and aftor tho final hop to Darwin! • Actually, the Channel now seems little more than, a big river. ' About 5 o'clock I was ready in tho cockpit, waiting for another weather report, when a petrol leak in one of tho extra' tanks developed. This was duo to tho unusual loading. A HOST OF INSTRUCTIONS. I got out of the cockpit, and while the engineers worked like fury I went back to my room and rested. ' At last I was ready to hop off, about 7.30. Only half a dozen, of my stauncheat friends wore there to say farewell. I was not 8t all thrilled about tho adventure, because • everybody had lectured and lectured me. They told mo I should keep her nose down to.do this and that, until everything, was getting-somewhat mixed. 1 had never flown anything except an unloaded lighi machine, and now I was going-up in a heavily-loaded aeroplane. The propeller was whirring round at last, and I went tho full length of tho aerodromo boforo turning. Then on I came at full speed, but the machine would hot rise. The few present gasped in dismay as they saw me getting closer to the boundary and not rising. They expected me to crash; but I pulled up in time. Acting on advice, 1 kept the stick well back, and I never took off. Then the engineers promptly told mo I had the stick too far back. This contradictory instruction annoyed me. "Get out of the way, the lot of you," I cried,' "and! I'will do what I like." So I took my own advice, and ■ off I went, rising .easily and gotting height without trouble, climbing above the fog into a haze. AN AUSPICIOUS START. Next, I realised I was above the Channel, and I was marvelling at the easiness of the business, when I sat up with a shock. Suddenly the sea appeared on my right hand, with the land o my left. Coming down low, I discovered that the Channel had been crossed. The fog had gone, and I was winging my way to Australia. It was a delightful sensation, and a most auspicious start. After a really pleasant journey I reached Brussels. .Tho rest of my journey, its adventures and excitements, its- sorrows and joys, already have been related, and now I am in Australia, overwhelmed with kindness, and enjoying «v<jry minute of my stay in this wonderful outpost of the Empire. • This is a wonderful country for aviation, for everything is so ideal. The weather conditions are perfect—-the best I have experienced. It was not" until nearing Australia that I used the horizon indicator for tho first time. I found it. had been bent—probably bent all tho way. There ia neod in some parts for more or better aerodromes. Those at Darwin and Daly Waters could be enlarged and improved, and over tho timbered country, south of Darwin there is an urgont need for emergency landing grounds. Spaces should be cleared, and kept clear. Once these are provided Australia can develop an efficient eneJrcliug air route. It must come, because of the vast distances between centres of population, and it will come, because flying is so comfortable in comparison with driving over dusty and poorlymado bush roads. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HELP. My final words must bo of thanks to those few who made it possible for me to fly to Australia. To my father, mother, and sisters I owe much for their help and support. Mr. C. S. Humphries, of the London Aeroplane Club, really did everything possible to help. Anything I know about engineering he taught me; and I thank him and the engineers of the London Aeroplane Club for their help, especially those who workod night and day in tho terrific rush to get my engine ready for the flight. I thank Captain Baker, Captain Matthews, and Major Travers for having taught mo to fly; Sir Sefton Brancker for his personal interest and introduction to Lord Wakefiold; and, finally, I thank Lord Wakefield for his kindness and generosity. If he had not supported me, all the aid and advice given by others would not have been of use. Ho and my father financed my flight, and I wish that those who welcomed me will kindly remember those benefactors and big-hearted men behind ,the scenes.:, . '.-:', ■ ■:' ■ •■■■■ '..'■■■' '■.-.]■ ■