AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1928, Page 2

AVIATION.

WILKINS_ FEAT. WILKINS’ GRAPHIC NARRATIVE. (united Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

SVALBARD,’ApriI 30. Captain Wilkins states: "With gootl weather, gootl luck, and by careful navigation, we travelled 2.200 miles above the Arctic ice. from Point Harrow to Green Harvour, Svalbard. Three-quarters of this area had never been seen before by man. Ate are thankful that aeronautical and engineering skill, conscientious workmen, and our accumulated Arctic experience lias brought us through in comparative comfort and safety. Vet the trip was not without adventure. It took us two days to get into the air, before we were, finally able to lilt our machine, weighing 3.300 pounds, into the air on April loth, and then we headed straight out outlie Great Circle course. That course, we knew, would change 22 times in 22 hours, l'or the hist five hundred miles, the air was clear. Then there were clouds, hut we overcame them at an altitude of 3000 feet. We saw no sign of islands, but we saw frequent leads of open water. Wo would have liked to make soundings, but a landing would have been too hazardous, owing to the possibility ol broken skis. The engine functioned perfectly, and the sun provided us with deal* light. Wo even took frequent sextant observations. The compass acted ordinarily, namely, within five degrees.

Captain Wilkins, in bis narrativs-, continues : T he temperature was twenty degrees below zero when we started, but it was warmer in our cabin. We saw some clouds that might be mistaken for land if land existed in that vicinity, namely, at latitude 81. longitude 75. Thirteen hours Irom starting out we caught Heeling glimpses of the tops of the Graiitlnnd Mountains, and by then the real flight exploration was over, but we still bad 990 miles to go

to reach our goal. Wo headed then straight for Spitsbergen by the sun’s position and the compass. There was a stormy sky. which forbade a cross flight to that ice-covered country. We edged along the storm area. Three hours biter the northerly end of Greenland showed dimly. At the end of each hour, Gilson swung the ship steadily to the

piloted course, and. as our course treaded southward, t lie wind swung also, thus speeding us over our way. it was IS degrees below zero in the open air. We were three hundred miles from the North Pole.

The temperature in the cabin dropped to zero, and coflee from our thermos ibisk, chocolate and biscuits were acceptable. When we were within 229 miles of Evalbard, high circling cloud masses rose to heights which olii now lightly loaded plane could not reach. We (limbed up to S(iOI) feet, and then we selected bines between the feathery cloud masses. Observations for ground speed and drill were now no longer possible. A\ e bad to

trust ill our observation of the suns position and to the compass. I Inis we Hew for an hour and a hall, seeing a dark streak of almost ice-free water beneath us. We figured that wo should see tin' mountains at the north end of Svalbard, but we did not dare to descend. for fear of running into the (loud-covered peaks. Our engine bad now burned much gas. \\ e know that we had two, and perhaps three, more hours’ supply. There was a danger that we might be going far inland, and therefore would probably have to journey over mountain <>" loot to reach the settlenff'iit. Suddenly two sharp peaks, almost needle-pointed, appeared beneath us. Down we spun lor a closer view. The air was turbulent. Our now almost empty plane tossed like a cork, and the loose things in the cabin tumbled and rattled. She bucked like a broncho, but Gilson nosed her down. lee-strewn water and wind were were furious. Spray whipped from flu* sea and filled the air o\ei the land. Snow drifted high and thick. II was therefore impossible to judge the distance. Then, dead ahead, a mountain loomed. It "as avoided

hv a narrow margin. A LANDING. AYo were now running short of petrol fast, hut such was Kilson’s consummate skill that the machine stopped thirty yards after the skiis touched the snow. We then climbed out. Our machine was undamaged. I here was nothing to do but to heal our clothes free of snow, and then climb into the cabin of the machine, and await clear weather. Me were not unduly tiled, nor anxious. King's Ray. Green Harbour. could not be far away. We might walk, or might construct a bunt and ieach some habitation. Me then slept. When we awoke, the sttn was shining, and we saw houses, but the

■ houses seen were an Arctic mirage, and then the wind by drilling the snow, soon obscured the horizon. I'oiirI'oot drifts formed about our plane, fortunately keeping the plane Iroiii toppling. Me were eouioirtablo in our cabin. We sat eating chocolates, and smoking a lew cigarettes. Me were patiently waiting for the weather to clear. Our (light had consumed exactly twenty-two hours and twenty niiiuuos. but ii was not until Saturday at three o'clock in the morning that the weather was again fit tor Hying. Wo shovelled snow for six hours to make a runway. We had only twenty gallons of petrol with ns both in the machine, but she would not budge, but when 1 climbed out and pushed, she moved. It was difficult to climb in again, and 1 tell off in an attempt. Eilson then throw out the emergency rope ladder. The machine gained momentum. I struggled desperately to ■ gain the cockpit. My hands were stiffened and numb, so I grasped the rope with my teeth. I slithered from tile shiny fuselage, and was struck by iiie tail of the machine and Hung into the snow, and as I sit down to write. I feel that every one of my front teeth is loose. Me tried again to make a start. For an hour we bad been wasting precious petrol. This time we were successful. I piled into the cockpit. despite,bruises. The machine rose three thousand leet. and then we saw a wireless mast at Green Harbour. We had been marooned for live days on Headman's Island. The wireless officials treated us with bountiful hospitality. Our Norwegian friends are friends for ever. Here we shall stay until some boat can take us and our trusty plane to a more southern clime.

RETURN JOURNEY. OSLO, April 23. it is believed that "Wilkins and Eilson contemplate returning to America by air. Eilson lias informed his father he expects to he soon hack, and this is taken to indicate a return journey will lie made by air. possibly direct to New York.

SOUTH POLE FLIGHT. WILKINS TO RACE IiYRD. NEW YORK. April 23. It is stated the next great flight to be made by Captain Wilkins will he a trip over uncharted wastes of the Antarctic regions. Mr .). K. Northrop, arenautical engineer and designer of Wilkins’s plane, has disclosed that

Wilkins told him and his friends his plans and needs for a contemplated flight over the Southern polar regions in case he was successful in his hop over the other end of the globe. Mr Northrop indicated the Antarctic plans are as far advanced as to make certain that Captain Wilkins will be here in four or five weeks. This is taken to indicate that the desolate regions of the South Role will see a race between Wilkins and Byrd. Wilkins wants to learn if there is an unbroken continental chain at Die South Pole. He proposes to go on hoard a Norwegian whaler into Ross Sea, then pass south of Victorialand. and there launch a seaplane and take the air towards King Edward the All Land, and 'make a journey through Branstield’s Straits to the South Shetland Island, eight hundred miles south of Cape Horn. MANNING’S FLY.

LONDON, April 23. Manning took off from at 5.3!) this morning for Australia. LONDON, April 23. Only a handful of people witnessed the departure of Manning. The heavily loaded machine took off splendidly. The weather was fine and windless and visibility good. Thus quietly started the flight which Manning in imaged to keep secret from London newspapers until a few days ago.