AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1929, Page 6

AVIATION

ENGLAND TO CAPETOWN

(British Official Wireless). RUGBY, December 17. The present long-distance Hying record is held by the Frenchman, Capt. Costes, with 4,922 miles. .Jones Williams and Jenkins made an attack on the long-distance record last April. They left Cranwell in the same monoplane as they are now flying, hut after covering 4,130 miles, tliey were forced down by petrol shortage at Karachi. India. 'The weather conditions over a large part of the route on : this occasion are reported to be favourable, and the airmen expect, if all goes well, to arrive at Capetown on Thursday afternoon, after a flight of about 55 hours. The machine was reported 30 miles off the north-west coast of Sardinia at 4 o’clock this ’afternoon.

The route after leaving Sardinia will be by way of Tunis and Glint, in the French Sahara, Duala in the Cameroon, Lenquella in Portuguese WcstAfrica, and Will fish Bay in SouthWest Africa. The course selected enables the pilots to avoid mountainous country, particularly in the earlier stages, ill order to heat the existing record. It is necessary under the international regulations to fly at least 100 kilometres, or 621 miles more than the French figures. So that the British pilots must ily a- minimum of 4,975 miles measured on a great circle course to secure a record for Britain. This means they must reach a point in South-West Africa about 30 miles south of Kunene river and about half way between Benguella and Will fish Bay. The aircraft is fitted for this flight with a short wave wireless transmitting set and will transmit routine reports giving its position every four hours. It is not equipped to receive messages during the flight. There is always the possibility of a forced landing. To meet such a emergency the airmen are equipped with ' sporting guns and ammunition. They also i.ave with them curious scimitar shaped knives, by means of which they will he able to- cut their way through the jungle, if necessary.

THE FLYING FEAT. PARIS, Dec. 17

Costes and Codos landed at Istroes, covered 5.060 miles, a world’s record. During the last part of the flight they encountered a violent mistral. Costes now shares two world’s records. the straight line and the closed circuit.