ATLANTIC FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1932, Page 5

ATLANTIC FLIGHT

MOLLISONS PLANS V,\ • . / ;:j i ■ DECEPTION UPON LANDING.

(United Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright.)

ST. JOHN'S, August 20,

Mollison, being fogbound on Saturday, postponed his hop off for Montreal and thence to r New York; r -until there :ttre favourable conditions." Speaking*at the luncheon, Mollison phophesied a regular trans-Atlantic ai i«Menrice would ' be 1 established within “tWo years. 1 He' engaged .therein, yteiioi. ■ - The New York v ‘TiSfeß” St. Johns’ correspondent states: As fog prevented a flight to the air pageant at Montreal Mollison announced that he would leaYe : fdjr ; ’N'ew York on Sunday. He expects to land at Roosevelt Field not later than five ini the afternoon. After motoring to Penfield and finding the weather too thick to fly, he returned to' St/ Johns, where, he was honoured at a luncheon by city officials; The New Brunswick Premier, Mr 0. H. Richard, was among the speakers, praising th© accomplishment, The whole city failed him a® a second Lindbergh. for autographs. ' 'Canadian officials understand U will be received by the King on his return, atid. possibly knighted. Meanwhile congratulatory:. messages are atriving from all parts of the British Empire. / Explaining that, he was, anxioUs to return to 1 his wife; the aViator said that’ he had l cabled her not to come to America. He would make a return flight within a few days. *•

Mollison said the flight home would be his last long distance flight, although he had no intention of giving up aviation. He- said: ‘-T am a married man, and I .don’t think I will do any more long, distance flying. The field is;'pretty well covered. ' You can’t be the first to fly anywhere nowadays.” i

Elaborate preparations to receive Mollison at Roosevelt Field, which were prepared to-day, will, he, repeated to-mdrrow.- He is* expected to arrive frdm git, John’s early in the evening. Jn addition to British Consular officials, the-'Mayor of 'New York, Mr .Walker’s

Official Reception Committee, is , sclxer duled to be present/ also a large crowd 7 of well wlshefs. The newspapers are ' featuring the flight as the .first eaistwest solo flight of the Atlantic, and the third solo flight, the others being Lindbergh and Mrs Amelia Earhart, excepting, of course, Bert Hinkler's flight‘across the South Atlantic.

FQttttNEW AVIATION RECORDS. ESTABLISHED JIGUtSDN, ! ST, JOHN’S (New Bruniwick), V /v August 20. Four new aviation records are credited to MoiUson, he being the first to fly westward solo oVer the Atlantic; the shortest time for a land-to-land westward crossing; the first transAtlantic . flight in' a light plane; and the longest duration flight in a small plane. Mollison expressed satisfaction at being able, to ,statements made by serotics, who maintained a plane of 12flP horsei power /and of a cruising speed of 110 miles an hour could not oppose the Atlantic weather or. conditions.' Before retiring Mollison announced he had accepted an invitation to attend the fourth'annual Canadian air pageant at Montreal, nnd that he expected to start the flight there' early in the afternoon on Saturday; 'when he would 'fly to New York at an indefinite time, but he was later detained by fog. If he succeeds in completing the double journey he will, in the opinion of most aviation authorition,, have achieved the most remarkable! fea.t in the history of flying. Mollison has siilpreme faith in the small' Moth iind declared before his departure‘that the main..purpose of his flight was to demonstrate once again the'superiority of Brit'sh light aircraft. The following telegram was sent to Mollison hy Lord Londonderry: “On behalf, of the Air Council I send you warm congratulations on your great flight, which once again has given striking proof not only of your personal skill and courage, hut also of the efficiency of British aircraft and British aeroengines.”’