AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1930, Page 5

AVIATION

? PARKESON CRASHES. (Australian Press Association) LONDON, March 23. . Tho “Times” Paris correspondent states Parkeson, who left Lympnc at six this morning crashed in bad venter near Molun, fifty miles - from Paris, at 10.30, Hie machine overturning. The flier was not seriously injured ibut the plane was extensively damaged. PARKESON'S CRASH. LONDON, March 2,3. Parkeson’s flight was begun from Lympne under conditions of the utmost secrecy at six o’clock in the morning ibut it came to an abrupt ending at Lizsurouoe, about forty miles east of Paris. The machine crashed, overturned and was wrecked. The pilot escaped with bruises and shock . Parkeson had been waiting for several weeks for a favourable opportunity. . The weather had shown signs of improvement during the week-end and hp decided to make the long delayed start. The Moth plane which he was flying was specially fitted with auxiliary tanks which had been filled with the intention of making a long hop on the; first day, Only half a dozen aerodrome officials were present, as Parkeson had kept all his plans secret. , _. He, confided, however, that ho hoped to beat Hinkler’s record. The conditions in tho Channel were calm and visibility was good as he took off perfectly. Parkeson is a New Zealand, business man and is connected 'with the jute industry. He is an enthusiastic flier and is a member of the Cinque Polls Flying Club.

IN THE AIR. (Received this day at S a.m.) SYDNEY, March 25. Smith and Shiers, in the City of Sydney- arrived at Cunnamulla, Central Queensland, shortly after midday. They had intended stopping the night here but the conditions were so favourable that they left again for Blackall and Longreach. SYDNEY, March 25. The City of Sydney has arrived at Blackall. FLYERS PROGRESS. SYDNEY, March 25. • Smith and Shiers have reached Blackall and expect to make Brunette Downs to-day. DARWIN REACHED. BY PIPER AND KAYE. SYDNEY, Maireli 24. A message from Darwin states that IJipe and Kaye arrived there this afternoon. PIPER AND KAYE’S JOURNEY (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 25. Shell Company advises that Piper and Kaye’s flight from Atamboea ocsix and a half hours. The hop was uneventful except that they encountered head winds for the entire distance. The airmen claim to be the first Now Zealanders to fly from England to Australia. They will ship the plane to New Zealand, and after a short stay there return to the Old Country.

THE AIRMEN’S STORY. (Received this day at 11 a.m.) DARWIN, March 25. Kaye, and Pipar left Oroydbn aerodrome at 6.30 o’clock on the morning of February 10th in a De So utter aeroplane of five hundred horse power and Cirrus Hermes engine, and a petrol capacity for seven hours. Owing to heavy head winds the petrol finished north of Lyons aerodrome. Two and a half hours delay followed because when they sent for petrol, the French authorities sent iback a mechanic instead. From Lyons to Avignon they enQoarntered ,bad .snowstorms. Flying fifty feet above the river Rhone the airmen could not see the wate,r. Leaving Avignon more snow hampered them along the French coast, and for over an hour no sight of laud was obtainable. The aviators were* forced to land at Pisa, where the river Arno was in heavy flood. A further delay occurred here as no petrol supply was available. Finally they flew to Naples against heavy head winds and through the smoke of Mount Vesuvius. The visibility was practically nil and both men were almost smothered by the fumes rjrom the crater. A good run u-ns made to Sicily, although heavy rain storms assailed the plane. '1 he airmen saw lava from Mt. Etna, running down the mountain side. They landed 'at Malta, which they left again at four next morning in an attempt to cross the sea to Benghazi on the African coast four hundred miles away. After three hours' flying m the d,-j/k they saw an aerodrome five miles, off and were advised to keep along ■ the sea front on account of hostile tribes. Chving to bad head winds they landed at Tobruk, stopping there one J night in a filthy native house. Next 1 day they made a direct flight to jVboukir and from there finally to Ghazi and then flew along the Suez Canal. Heavy clouds over the Dead Sea forced them to turn towards Ziza, but owing to the name of the* place being changed they could not find it and finally landed at Aman, where the aerodrome was in a had flooded state. Across the desert to Rougba Wells, floods had washed the roads jrwav-and tho airmen took the wrong

turning, and flew over hostile country. 'ilicy finally returned to Ziza, and the Royal Air Force showed the road to Amanana where two days delay occurred through bad weather. Then they went to Zirka to procure petrol, and .flew thence to Bagdad, oazia, Busuire and Task in that order.

At the last named place a forced landing was made owing to engine trouble. Leaving there in the dark, 'they were forced to land on the sea beach. A native chief made the tribesmen pusii the plane back to tire aerodrome at Jask.

Un resuming the flight, a good run was made to Karachi whence they went on to Judpur through heavy low lying clouds, and ha*d to land at Hyderabad. Making a fresh start from Hyderabad, a- forced landing was found necessary near Judpur. On the second attempt to reach Allahabad heavy winds and low oil pressure compelled a forced descent midway, at Jansi, but Allahabad wa.s reached the same night. On the next day’s flight to Calcutta, had engine trouble was experienced, but tney arrived safely the same afternoon and took off for Akyab. Leaving -tt-icyal), engine trouble forced the men to land at Western Baronga Island, where there are no Europeans. They returned to Akyab In native fishing boats, the trip occupying five hours under a roasting sun. After waiting three weeks for spare parts, the men flew from Akyab to Rangoon. Leaving the latter place they were confronted with a mountain side a tnousand feet high covered with heavy clouds. They decided to go under the clouds hut found the smoke so dense, they could not see in the clouds. They then resolved to go above the clouds and found the plane surrounded by hills, with the oil pressure poor. Several hours battling against a wind followed before Bangkok was reached. Then they made a non-stop run to Singapore and another to Batavia, where the worst storm of the whole trip was encountered. The fight to Souralmya was uneventful. They then tried to reach Attamboen. but bad weather forced a landing on a bench where the plane stuck in soft sand. Next day with native help they made a runway and took the air and arrived at Attamboea from whence they made a non-stop run over four hundred miles to Darwin.

' Owing to floods at Daly Waters and Newcastle, and the fact that no fuel was available at either place, Kaye and Piper are unable to continue their flight to-day as they intended. Both speak in high terms of the hospitality experienced during the trip.