Across the Atlantic

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 39, 9 May 1927, Page 9

Across the Atlantic

Nongessoir Starts Flight

Grave Anxiety for Saint Romain

Captain Nungessor and his navigator, Coli, flying an airplane of the latest French naval type, left Cherbourg yesterday morning on their transatlantic flight. The machine was heavily loaded and an anxious crowd gathered to see if it would make a safe takeoff. For some moments success seemed doubtful, but finally the plane lifted.

The aviators hope to make the flight in 36 hours. Captain Saint Romain, the French aviator who left the African coast on Thursday, is now reported missing. A Buenos Aires message reported his arrival on Friday, but since then all enquiries \have been without result.

By Cable.—Press Association.—copyright Reed. 8 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. Captain Nungessor left Cherbourg at 10 o’clock this morning on his transatlantic flight. Dramatic thrills accompanied the start which was decided on last night amid a fierce thunderstorm, meteorological experts declaring that the storm was local and that such favourable conditions were unlikely again, with a following wind for 1,500 miles. Conditions would be less favourable in the neighbourhood of Newfoundland, but after that they would improve.

Captain Nungessor and Coli, his navigator, shook hands on making the decision and went off .to snatch a few hours sleep. In the meanwhile the Goliath Levas-seur-Lorraine plane, named OiseauBlanc, the latest French naval type, was Anally tested and loaded at Le Bourget. Captain Nungessor and Coli arrived at dawn, the latter admitted having not closed his eyes, but the former had slept well. A crowd of air notables witnessed the start and wished the aviators Godspeed. Captain Nungessor cut short the farewells by saying curtly to his assistants “When you like.” “WHEN YOU LIKE” The engine roared and the ’plane moved slowly forward. The question uppermost in the crowd's mind was whether Captain Nungessor would succeed in taking-off with a heavily-loaded plane when Captain Rene Fonck loaded with 2' z tons crashed. The plane speeded up, and the tail rose and fell to the ground. Captain Nungessor opened the throttle until the machine tore along the ground at a terrific pace. The tail again rose and fell and the plane was now dangerously near the trees bordering the aerodrome. Cheers broke out as the wheels were seen to be lifting. Captain Nungessor with a superhuman effort forced the plane to soar over the trees by a narrow margin and disappeared in a haze. An expert says it was travelling 110 miles hourly when it took off only 16 yards from the edge of the aerodrome.

The route is across the Channel to the South of Ireland, then along the 54th latitude to Newfoundland and then south-west to Boston. The machine crossed the English Channel at a height of 1,200 feet and Captain Nungessor hopes to complete the journey in 3G hours. Nothing was heard of the aviators for the next 24 hours beyond meagre signals from ships in mid-ocean. M. Farrat, engineer of the Levas-

seur Company, says that he built four motors before he was satisfied; each of them cost £16,000.

CARRIES MONEY AND HOPES “Captain Nungessor carries £20,000 of our money, as well as our hopes,” he said.i* Everything depends on the reliability of the engine. Three great petrol reservoirs are placed in the machine in such a way that the airmen who are sitting side by side have barely room to move.

They are unable to reach the engine and should it fail they are helpless.

Before the start a metal propellor was substituted as a safeguard against striking an albatross which would smash a wooden one. Both men were dressed in suits of double silk beneath their leather coats as a protection against the cold winds.

Although everything possible has been sacrificed in the interests of lightness the airmen did not resist a few gifts from friends, also the first direct Paris-New York mail. When the machine commenced to climb, the under-carriage was dropped into a field, thereby reducing the weight by 2201 b.—A. and N.Z.-Sun.

Cherbourg, from where the Captain Nungessor started his flight, is a fortified seaport, and the great naval station of Prance. It is on the English Chcnnel at the north end of the peninsula of Contentin, 82 miles from Havre.

SAINT ROMAIN LOST

GRAVE ANXIETY SOUTH AMERICAN REPORTS By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright PARIS, Sunday. The fate of the French airman, Captain St. Romain, who set out on Thursday from the coast of Africa on a transatlantic flight to Brazil, is causing very grave anxiety. A message from Buenos Aires on Friday stated that Captain Romain had reached the coast of South America at 11.25 a.m. that day, having accomplished the journey in 29 hours. Early in the morning he had reported by wireless that he was 120 miles away and it was believed he had landed at an isolated spot on the coast. All inquiries since then have been without result.

A telegram received last night from Rio de Janeiro stated that the authorities there had ordered a combined search to be made on land and at sea for the airman. This was on the strength of a rumour that his machine had passed over Fernando Island, 125 miles off the coast, on Thursday night. —A. and N.Z.