AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1931, Page 6

AVIATION

CHICHESTER LANDS. SOUTH OF SYDNEY. (Australian Press Association.)

SYDNEY, June 7. Chichester left Lord Howe Island at nine in the morning Sydney time. He experienced some difficulty in rising with his full load, but at the third attempt his seaplane took off in ideal weather. The conditions were mild. A southeast wind was assisting him. The steamer “Kurow” wirelessed on Saturday afternoon stating that Chichester was sighted at two o’clock when he was going well. The airman was then approximately eighty miles due east of Sydney, and he was heading in a direction slightly south of Sydney.

THE LANDING. SYDNEY, jane 7. JFJyinfg in extremeily bad weather, and contending with rain and poor visibility, Chichester alighted at Jervis Bay alongside the aircraft carrier Albatross.

Chichester said that he left Lord Howe Island in good Hying conditions There were strong north-easterly winds. Heavy clouds developed, with heavy rain, early in the flight.

He said:—“A sight taken on the passage showed that I was too much to the southward of my estimated position, but au engine defect made it necessary to steer a course' giving a favourable wind. I first sighted the Australian coast to the north of Jervis Bay.” The sea conditions have prevented Chichester’s departure from the Bay for Sydney, and there will be a further delay while the engine is being overhauled. It is now accommodated, on the Albatross.

CHI CHESTER INJURES HAND

(Received this day at 9.25 a.m)

SYDNEY, June -8.

Bad luck continues for Chichester.* While assisting to place liis plane aboard the Albatross for repairs, lie had his hand ciaught between the ma c hine and the ship and the top of one finger was taken off, and bis hand crushed and lacerated rather badly. He is now in hospital aboard the Albatrpssr.

In all probability the plane will now be brought to Sydney in the seaplane carrier. '*

* <n & m w n Kf ss: THE D.OX. NEW YORK, June 5. The D.OX took off at 12.45 p.m. today for Natal (Brazil) two hundred miles, where it will be overhauled. The D.OX will probably stay a week before flying to Itio de Janiero, instead of Pernambuco as originally intended. NATAL, yjune 5. The D.OX arrived at 2.10 p.m. completing the trans-Atlantic voyage, from Alterrhein (Switzerland).

/ SCOTT ARRIVES. LONDON, June 5. Mr C. W. A. Scott arrived at Lympne in under eleven days. This beats Smith’s record. SCOTT’S NEW RECORD. 48 HOURS BETTER THAN SMITH. LONDON, June 6.

The airman Scott accomplished bis whole flight in the face of very difficult conditions. He crossed the English Channel in a storm. Scott climbed down from the cockpit off his machine, drawn, haggard and suffering badly from cramp and deafniess. His face was blistered by the heat of his engine. Scott admitted that he was glad that it was all over. He said: “It is too far.” He said he considered his homeward flight the better effort owing to the breaking of the monsoons. He beat Kingsford Smith’s record by 48 hours.

MOLLISON'S PLANE.

DARWIN, June 8

Mollison’s plane was dismantled for shipment to Sydney. The engine, instrument hoard, wheels, rudder and part of the fuselage. The rest was burnt on the ground. He hopes to make a fresh start from Sydney. Th e accident points to the imperative need for enlarging the Darwin aerodrome.