OCEAN AIR SERVICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 July 1938, Page 5

OCEAN AIR SERVICE

THE MERCURY’S ATLANTIC FLIGHT IRELAND TO CANADA GOOD PROGRESS MADE By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. LONDON, July 21. Carrying a cargo of newsreels, photographs, and newspapers arising out of the Royal visit to France, the pick-a-back plane, Mercury, took off from Foynes, Ireland, at 8 p.m. today, and successfully separated from the lower compartment, the Maia, at sea. A message from Montreal states that the Mercury passed over Cape Bauld (northern Newfoundland) at 4.28 a.m. (local times) at an approximate speed of 144 miles an hour. It is expected that the machine will reach Montreal at 10.30 a.m. Reports of the progress of the Mercury during her flight were received in New York as follows: — At 10.30 p.m. yesterday the TransCanada Airline offices at Montreal reported that the plane was 1375 miles from Foynes. At 11.55 p.m. according to the Montreal correspondent of the “New York Times,” the Mercury reported that she was 800 miles from Botwood, Newfoundland, flying at an altitude of 5000 feet in heavy rain and thick fog.

ARRIVAL FROM MONTREAL ASSISTANCE FROM FAVOURABLE ' WINDS (Recd This Day, 9.45 a.m.) NEW YORK, July 21. The pick-a-back plane Mercury landed at Montreal at 11.19 a.m. An earlier message indicated that Mercury might be making a possible unscheduled halt at Quebec City, as it was believed it might be running short of fuel, because it did not refuel at Newfoundland, but later message states that favourable tail winds made a landing at Quebec City unnecessary.

MERCURY’S TIME. SHORTEST CROSSING TO DATE. (Recd This Day, 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, July 21. Mr Bennett, in a wireless message to Imperial Airways, states that the Mercury completed the Atlantic crossing in 13 hours 25 minutes, averaging 150 miles an hour. This is the shortest east to west crossing accomplished thus far.