AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1931, Page 6

AVIATION

KIDSON GOING WELL. (Australian Press Association.) LONDON, April 2. Kidsou arrived at Malakai, after two and a-balf days’s flying from Croydon. He was well ahead of schedule. RUGBY, April 1. Anderson Scott, who left, England to-day on a solo flight to Australia, and hopes to heat Kingbird Smith’s nine days’ record, is using a 120 horsepower Gipsy Moth, fitted with extra tanks. Scott, who was previously a Flying Corps Officer, is following the route via Sofia. Aleppo, Bnshire, Karachi, Rangoon, Singapore, Bima, and Port Darwin.

DISTANCE RECORD. PARIS. April 2. A Frenchman, Pail lard Mermoz, broke the world’s record for flying in a closed circuit. He covered 5,-100 miles in fifty-nine lions. LONDON-CAPE FLIGHT. RUGBY, April 1. machine wn smade during the day. land yesterday on a record breaking flight to South Africa, readied Malta this morning, and Cairo this evening, DIRECT AIR .MAIL LETTERS FOR AUSTRALIA.

The first aeroplane carrying mail direct to Australia left Croydon at B.dO a.m to-day. in pursuance of the policy of Imperial Airways to link up all parts of the Empire. It is expected that a second ’plane will leave on April 25th. These are experimental flights. 'The mail carried comprised a total of 30.000 letters. ?V>.ooO boiii.}* tlie ordinary weekly mail for India and Central Africa. The remainder. 15,000. was the first consignment for Australia, which is considered to lx> a splendid response from the public, showing the national interest in the experiment. SCOTT’S FLIGHT. LONDON. April 3. The airman Scott arrived at Aleppo after a surprise landing last night twenty-jive miles away. BROADBENT’S flight. ABANDONS VENTURE. CONSTANTINOPLE, April 3. Broadbent lists abandoned his flight after yesterday's misadventures, lie says that after an hour’s flying from Constantinople he encountered snow and storm. The engine began missing and lie decided to return. Finally he was completely • cut out and made a forced landing unhurt in a swampy valley near ism id t. He repeatedly tried to pike off. hut failed. The plane became embedded in mud and will take at least a fortnight to release.