AUSTRALIAN HOMING IN LIGHT AIRPLANE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 337, 24 April 1928, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN HOMING IN LIGHT AIRPLANE

MANNING HOPS OFF AVIATOR’S FINE RECORD British Official Wireless Reed. 11.35 a.m. RUGBY, Monday. Wing-Commander Edye Manning, like Captain Bert Hinkler, who has already flown to Australia in a light plane, is an Australian, and he is making the flight to his own country to attend to private business. He has been placed on half-pay in order to do so. His monoplane is a Westland Widgeon, which is of a distinctive type. Normally, long-dis-tance efforts are made in biplanes, but the performance of a light monoplane like the Widgeon can be excellent in the hands of a skilled pilot. Manning was flying when aviation was in its infancy, and has set up a fine record as an airman. He served with distinction in France during the war, and subsequently in Iraq, and has the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross. Wing-Commander Manning took off from the Lympne (Kent) airdrome at 5.30 a.m. to-day for Australia. Only a few people witnessed the departure. The heavily-loaded machine took off splendidly. The weather was fine, and there was no wind. The visibility was good. Thus quietly started a flight which the airman had managed to keep secret from the London newspapers until a few days ago.