AIR FLYING.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1927, Page 2

AIR FLYING.

SCENES AT LANDING

Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

LONDON, Alny 23

“Gee. hoys. I’m here!’’ was Captain Lindbergh’s greeting when he thrust his head out of the cockpit of his monoplane on lauding. This exclamation followed a. momentary doubt, for he said. “Say! Is this Paris? I’m Lindbergh! ' When the airman was assured he had reached his destination he simply replied, “Good! ’ fj]hen the airman, was lifted by a couple of stalwart French airmen into a sea of outstretched arms and clutching hands, and he was home to the Hangar.

The. iournalists, unable to secure a connected story of the flight until Sunday. when Captain Lindbergh consented to a joint interview in the hall ot the American Embassy at Pans.

STOP A" FOR PRESSMEN

LONDON. Alny 23

At Paris, Captain Lindbergh gave a joint interview to the journalists in the hall of the United States Embassy. Captain Lindbergh spoke quiet tv. witii an utter absence of “side.’ Indeed, the pressmen had to extract details from him hy means ol question and answer. The first question asked was: “What was the worst moment?’ “Sure, this is!” was Captain Lindbergh's laughing retort. He explained that, owing to the construction of his aeroplane, lie could not look out ahead. He could only see to the front b\ means of the periscope, though his views both to the left and to the right were uninterrupted. The airmail carried no lights, as all the dials on the Ryan monoplane were luminous.

“T made the whole flight close to the schedule planned. ’’ he said. ‘ but 1 had a good deal of luck in it. I flow by dead recokning. and it brought me to the coast of Ireland, within tliioe miles of the Great Circle." He continued: "The fact that I only saw the light of a single ship was due to the lot of fog. To tell you the truth | was horribly bored, and I never was in the least sleepy. I made no use of caffeine or the other stimulants 1 had aboard. I did not get sleepy, because I did not have any wind in my Lice, as I was down in the cockpit.” “Everything,” he said, “was in my favour except that t encountered sleet, which proved capable ol lorcing the aeroplane down in a few minutes. Once I dropped to ascertain il it wete foggy on the sea. it was, and as 1 could not get above or below the log. [ had to go through “ ” “One of the sleet storms was of such violence that 1 almost decided to turn back. It was full daylight when 1 struck the Irish coast. I knew that it was Ireland because of the mountains which my maps showed. The I'lencli coast was plain, the English coast was hilly, and the Irish coast was mountainous. I shall ever remember that sight of Ireland. The remaining six hundred miles were simple, and ] was eating my last sandwich when I*ranee hove in sight. I instantly recognised Cherbourg from the map, on which my route was clearly marked, 'ihence, towards Paris, I could see searchlights thirty miles away.’

THE KARACHI FLIGHT.

LONDON. May 23

It appears probable that Carr’s flight to the Persian Gulf .has beaten the French record.

Since Captain Lindbergh did not reach Paris until 10.22. Carr was actually in the air an hour longer than Lindbergh.

REAfARKABLE ENTIIUSIASM

NEW YORK, Alay 22

Xows of the successful completion of Captain Lindbergh’s flight- over the Atlantic to Franco was hailed with the wildest demonstrations here.

T he newspapers have splashed tlieii front, oages with enormous headlines of the feat. Thousands of people besieged the newspaper offices with telephone calls for the latest- reports. In the cinemas, the audiences largely composed of women, stamped and cheered when the pictures of Captain Lindberghs take off’ were shown. Preachers took the flight- for a topic for their Sunday sermons throughout the country.

One enthusiast named a new-born child after Captain Lindberg. while the vaudeville theatre managers are already making offers to the airman. One such offer is reported to he in the region of half a million dollars. XFMY YORK. May 23. Captain Lindberg talked by telephone from Paris to his mother, who lives at Detroit. This is the first time that Xew York and Paris have been connected by telephone.

The Long Island District Attorney, Mr Edwards, has telegraphed to Captain Lindbergh’s mother stating that ho has planned to raise a fund to send her to Paris to join her son. and has started it with a personal contribution of five hundred dollars. He has also wired to President Coolidge. suggesting a naval escort for Mrs Lindbergh in the event of her deciding to leave.

Captain Lindlierg’s mother, though not deprecating her son’s achievement is very modest, and she says that she knew that it could be done. ROME. Mac 22.

Signor Mussolini lias sent a message to the American Ambassador in which lie says: “Accept the cry of eutliustic admiration of the entire Italian people, rejoicing in Captain Lindlierg’s superb feat. It will remain forever in the memory of men. His superhuman will stormed space and subdued it.” XEW YORK. May 22. Reports are -being circulated in some quartern that -Captain Lindberg is making plans to fly to Australia, but there is neither any confirmation tnnr any details of this proposal available at present.