Record Flight Attempted

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 849, 18 December 1929, Page 11

Record Flight Attempted

6,000 MILES WITHOUT A STOP From England to Capetown British Official Wireless Received 10 a.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. THE Royal Air Eorce Fairoy-Napier monoplane, piloted by ♦Squadron-Leader Jones-Williams, took otf from Oauwell at 8 o’clock to attempt a record non-stop flight to Capetown. Weather conditions were perfect.

The present long distance flying record is held by the Frenchman, Captain Costes, with 4,912 miles. Jones* Williams and Flight-Lieutenant Jenkins, who accompanies him, made an attack on the long distance record last April. They left Cranwell Airdrome in the same monoplane as they are now flying, but after covering 4,130 miles they were forced down by petrol shortage at Karachi, India. Weather conditions over a large part of the route on this occasion are reported to be favourable, and the airmen expect, if all goes well, to arrive at Capetown on Thursday afternoon after a flight of about 55 hours. The machine was reported 50 miles off the north-west coast of Sardinia at four o’clock this afternoon. The route, after leaving Sardinia, will be by way of Tunis, Ghat, in the French Sahara, Duala in the Cameroons, Benguella in Portuguese West Africa, and Walfish Bay in South-West Africa. The course selected enables the pilots to -avoid mountainous country, particularly in the earlier stages. In order to beat the existing record it is necessary, under international regulations, to fly at least miles more than the French figure, so that the British pilots must fly a minimum of 4,975 miles, measured on the Great Circle course to secure the record for Britain. This means they must reach a point in South-West Africa about 30 miles south of the Kunene River, and about half-way between Benguelia and Wal-

fish Bay. Their aircraft is fitted for this flight with a short-wave wireless transmitting set, aud will transmit routine reports giving its position every four hours, say eight o’clock, twelve o'clock, and so forth. It will transmit on 33.71 metres. It is not equipped to receive messages during the flight. Private wireless stations are therefore asked to refrain from transmitting on this wave-length, as they are liable to cause jamming, and may thus prevent the reception of any urgent message. There is always the possibility of a forced landing. To meet such an emergency, the airmen are equipped with sporting guns and ammunition. They have also with them curious scimitar-shaped knives, by means of which they will be able to cut their way through the jungle if necessary. ANOTHER LONG FLIGHT TWO FRENCH AIRMEN START FRANCE TO SAIGON LONDON, Tuesday. The French aviators Lebrix and Rossi have begun a flight to Saigon, French Indo-China. They hope to complete it in 100 hours, via Benghazi, Basra, and Allahabad.