THE POLAR FLIGHT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 122, 27 April 1925, Page 5

THE POLAR FLIGHT

AMUNDSEN NEARLY READY. ENGINES START EASILY. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received April 27, 10.5 a.m. LONDON, April 26.

Captain Amundsen, in a wireless message from King’s Bay, says: “Tho work of assembling the planes is proceeding satisfactorily. Both planes are now ashore with the engines fixed, and have been tried with excellent results. They started easily despite the bitter cold 1 . The only work remaining is to fix the wings in position. Provided the unforeseen does not occur, the planes should be ready for a trial flight on Saturday week.

“The meteorologists and wireless operators aboard the F'ram are busy receiving weather reports. Special notices are being received via Washington and Stavanger. It has unfortunately been found impossible to receive direct messages from St. Paul and Behring Strait. „ “Several balloons are sent up daily to determine the direction and velocity of the higher winds. When the planes are finished, observations of the temperature and moisture at a height of 3000 metres will bo concluded. Ellsworth, both pilots and myself are daily testing the instruments and making observations with the view to gaining practice in the methods of navigation to be used during the flight. After clear, bitterly cold weather for the last few days, the conditions are now mild, cloudy and foggy.”—A. and N.Z. cable.