AIR FLIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1920, Page 5

AIR FLIGHT.

JOURNEY TO AUSTRALIA. THE AIIUIEX L\ T LVDJ.A. j By Telcjraph.—Press Abo.—Copyright. Allahabad, March 1-1. 'Lieut. J.'arcr and Lieut. Mucintush left Allahabad for Calcutta oii Sunday and intend waiting at Calcutta for Captain -Matthews. Delhi, March 14. Lieut. I'arer and Lieut. Macintosh have arrived at Calcutta.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FLIGHT ACROSS DESERT. PETROL JUST LASTS OUT. Received March 10, 55 p.rn Delhi, March 14. Lieut. Parer and Lieut. Macintosh, describing their long flight across the Syrian Desert, which was declared impossible by aviators in England, said that they left liamleh for iiagdad, on February "27 th, and crossed the river Jordan at a height of 4,000 feet, north of the Dead Sea. 1 They struck a head wind, and soon flying became difficult. They then crossed a long stretch of Lava formation, extending about 100 miles, and flew for six hours without seeing any habitation or signs of living beings. The carburettor then Hooded, necessitating a forced landing in the desert. After strenuous work it was repaired, hut later they were forced again to [ land in the desert, where they were extremely hazy as to their location, bavin" landed in a large stretch of They stayed the night there, and early next morning they were disturbed bv Arabs, who told tltem they had landed on the shores of Lake Hahbanijah, not far from Bagdad. Their main anxiety was whether their petrol would hold out, so tliev transferred ? few pints to the gravity tank and rose again, the clouds being W and rain falling. Soon the Euphrates was sighted, and as soon as Bagdad became visible they found the aerodrome without difficulty. At the moment of landing they h,vl only one and a half pints of petrol left, not sufficient with which to circle over the aerodrome. Their actual flying time in crossing the desert was Bhr. !omin.