IN THE AIR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 128, 12 March 1930, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

ALTITUDE RECORD FOR WOMEN. AMERICAN GIRL’S CLAIM. (United Press Association—Copyright.) NEW YORK, March 11. Miss Elinor Smith, an 18-year-old aviatrix, who claims to have set the altitude record for women, ' has revealed that she became unconscious at a height of 30,000 feet, and drifted almost a mile toward the earth before she was able to seize the controls again. She lost consciousness when the oxvgen tanks froze, and fell to 26,000 feet before regaining her senses. She then righted the aeroplane and continued her downward journey. When she landed, one altimeter registered 30,000 feet and the Other 32,000. The record will not become official, however, until the sealed barograph in Miss Smith’s aeroplane is sent to Washington for calibration.

FROM SYDNEY TO LONDON. PLANS BY TWO AUSTRALIANS. SYDNEY, March 11. , David Smith, aged 20, will begin a flight to London from, the Mascot Aerodrome during the coming weekend. He is using a Ryan monoplane, and will be accompanied J>y Walter Shiers as mechanic. The latter was a member of Sir Ross Smith’s crew which blazed the trail from England to Australia several years ago.