Keen to Fly Home

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 556, 8 January 1929, Page 9

Keen to Fly Home

TWO AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN

Hurley's Men in London

(United P.l. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press AssociationJ

Received 11.21 a.m. LONDON. Monday. MESSRS. SIOIK AND OWEN, whose splendid airmanship on the ill-fated Spirit of Australia flight is warmly regarded by British experts, who realise just what the two Australian officers were faced with and overcame in the overladen machine until the regrettable crash at Athens, are determined to return to Australia by afr.

At present there is an all-British De Havilantl 50 with a Jaguar engine available for this purpose. The estimated cost of the machine and the expenses ea route are £3,500. It is similar in type to that used by Sir Alan Cobham, and has been approved by the Air Ministry. An oil company which is concerned agrees to relay depots as soon as the money is forthcoming.

Mr. Owen informed the Australian Press Association that he and Moir cannot understand the statements from Australia that they will return by boat. They regard the honour of Australian aviation as staked on ihe completion of the flight. Owen explains that Captain Hurley says he does not propose to continue. This is no way their responsibility. He does not see any more risks in flying to Australia than in flying to

England. In any case, they are reputable Australian pilots, anxious to complete what they undertook. Since they have been in Loudon they have made strenuous endeavours to obtain a machine. Lieutenant Moir went to Amsterdam and interviewed Fokkers, who said they would willingly provide a machine free if one was available, but owing to the heavy orders they would be unable to provide one before September. A British * company which is now building Fokkers at Birmingham has sufficient confidence in Moir and Owen to allow them to take out a Fokker with passengers if they can wait a few' months, but they feel that the time is most pressing. Advices from Australia suggest that £2,500 is subscribed, and they aiv anxious for an additional amount to be available in order to finish the flight as planned.