A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19798, 23 February 1928, Page 6

A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT

MR HINKLER’S FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA THE RECORD BEATEN NO SPECIAL PREPARATIONS (British Official News.) Freni Association—By W ireless—Copyright RUGBY, February 22. (Received February 23, at noon). Air Hinkler’s feat in flying to Australia in record time in a light aeroplane has caused the greatest satisfaction here. Sir Samuel Hoare (Secretary for Air) has expressed official appreciation in the following message:— Your flight from London to Australia in fifteen days, flying unaccompanied, in a light aeroplane, is one further proof of what British pilots and British aircraft can do to link up the Empire by air.

Fort Darwin, where Air Hinkler landed, is nearly 12,00 U miles from Croydon by the route taken. He left Croydon at daivn on February 7, and landed at Port Darwin at G o’clock this evening (Australian time), which Avas equivalent to 8 o’clock this morning (Greenwich mean time), thus the time taken Avas almost exactly fifteen days. Mr Hinkler has easily beaten the record made by Sir Boss Smith and Sir Keith Smith, who in .1 DID Hew from England to Australia in tAventy-eight days. Tho manner of his doing it has been extremely remarkable. Ho made no big preparations. Ho had no financial support, and his aeroplane was not a big, high-poAverod machine, but an ordinary light machine such as anyone can buy for £G76. For the past eighteen months Mr Hinkler had used this machine for touring England and Northern Europe. The machine had, hoAvever, proved its capability and reliability in air races, having won many prizes.

Throughout the flight Air Hinkler received no assistance with his ’plane, not even in moving it on the ground. Never during tho whole flight was it necessary to make adjustments to the engine, which ks an ordinary standard 31) h.p. Cirrus, which is of itself a remarkable testimony to tho good workmanship of this .British-made engine. Tho cost of the flight has been only about £ol), which is less than the cost of travelling to Australia by sea. Fxpcrts here regard the flight as a stupendous achievement. The news of bis progress on tho final stages of the flight lias been awaited with, some anxiety, for it was known that tho rainy season having set in the skill -of the airman and the airworthiness of tho machine might be severely tested in the, flight across tho unfrequented seas north of Australia. Throughout the journey he has landed the machine himself without any assistance. It lias to be added thatAJr Hinkler incidentally made the first non-slop flight from London to Rome, and also tho fastest journey between Fngland and India. Tho latter ho accomplished in seven days, which is of itself an epochmaking achievement. The newspapers state this evening that tho insurance which was supposed to have been effected at Lloyd’s against All’ Hinkler beating the record of twenty-eight, days set up by the Smith Bros, was never executed, and therefore he will gain nothing financially. FLIGHT TO EE CONTINUED TO-DAY SYDNEY, February 23. (Received February 23, at 12.5 p.m.) Mr Hiu kler covered K),GGO miles to Darwin in approximately Did flying hours Mr Hinkler's failure to complete the insurance policy before leaving London robs him of £2,000, which lie would otherwise have gained. Air Hinkler probably continues his flight to-diy. A BAG OF TELEGRAMS DARWIN, February 2.1. (Received February 23, at 11 a.m.) Having covered tho journey from England to Australia in sixteen days. Air Hinkler created a record for the trip. He was ready to start from Bima at 4 o’clock in the morning, He had a tricky climb over the mountains with a full load, then made for the open sea. He passed Knrang about f 0.30, and did not stop at 'Timor. His first sight of Australia was Bathurst Island at 5.40, having covered nearly 1,000 miles during the day. An enthusiastic crowd greeted him at Darwin, and on alighting ho was presented with a bag containing 476 telegrams. He had had nothing to eat since 7 o’clock in the morning, and felt sleepy, but otherwise fit as a fiddle. His average speed from Bima was ninety-two miles an hour. He had good weather all tbe way.