CASUAL LONE FLYER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 29 November 1939, Page 13

CASUAL LONE FLYER

NEARLY FIRED ON FINE TIMOR SEA CROSSING SYDNEY, Nov. 15. Unexpected by Civil Aviation or Customs officials, an overseas flyer was in danger of being fired on as he approached Darwin. His plane was carefully watched by men of antiaircraft batteries, and only the British registration numbers on his machine prevented them from opening fire.

The flyer was Mr. John Hodder, a Rangoon tin miner, who is returning to his native Sydney in Iris British Eagle light monoplone. When reprimanded for not having notified his expected arrival Mr. Hodder explained that he left instructions at Koepang for a cablegram to be sent to Darwin. He reached the airport before the cablegram did. Mr. Hodder lias been called “the Timor Sea’s most casual lone flyer.” His flight from Koepang was a remarkable achievement. He left there in the early morning without any idea of the weather he might meet near the Australian coast or even the direction of the prevailing winds. Calculating that the air currents might be favourable at a great height, he climbed 12,000 feet and remained there for the whole crossing. Unfavourable winds blew him olf his course, and he reached tire Australian coast at the mouth of Ilie Daly River, 50 miles south-west of Darwin.

When he .landed, Civil Aviation officials were preparing for a wellearned rest after seeing the regular airliners off at daybreak. Customs officials were on the wharf two mil.es away, and the quarantine doctor was finishing his lunch. Mr. Hodder was severely reprimanded for his nonobservance of the Civil Air Regulations.

Mr. Hodder continued his flight with Perth as a destination, but damaged the plane’s undercarriage when making a landing at Rocbourne. The damage was slight and soon repaired, and Mr. Hodder was soon on his way again. He is flying to Sydney by way of Perth with the intention of joining the Royal Australian Air Force.