FOR AUSTRALIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 84, 10 April 1933, Page 7

FOR AUSTRALIA.

AUCKLAND'S "AMY"

FLIGHT FROM KENT.

jttiss Jean Batten Starts on Solo Venture. PBINOE OF WALES' 'PLANE. (Onited P.A.-Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, April 9. Miss Jean Batten, aged 23, of Auckland, left Lympne, Kent, this morning, on an attempt to fly solo to Australia. Her mother, Mrs. F. H. Batten, and a few members of the London Flying School, watched Miss Batten start in a perfect take-off. A later message stated that Miss Batten had arrived at Naples after refuelling at Rome. She will continue her flight at dawn, setting a course for Athens.

Thereafter Miss Batten -will fly in stages of 1000 miles a day, which will be longer hops than Mrs. Mollison took ,in her record for a woman flyer. Miss Batten may do night flying when the conditions are favourable. Miss Batten is flying a Gipsy Moth aeroplane, formerly the property of the Prince of Wales, which she now partly owns. Miss Batten says she is not out to creak records, but hopes to arrive in Australia in a fortnight. She has spent months in secret preparations for the flight, and is confident she will win through. The young airwoman says she will not fly from Australia tp New Zealand. Her aeroplane is fitted with long-range petrol tanks and has a cruising speed of 100 miles an hour. It can remain in the air 14 hours. Defend Britain's Prestige. Miss Batten is carrying her kit in a brown paper shopping bag. She is wearing a brown, fur-lined flying suit. At the last moment she realised that- she ' had no cigarettes and her friends supplied her with 50, Miss Batten remarking: "These will useful if lam captured by Arabs. Somebody asked if I am taking a gun. How ridiculous!" Mrs. Batten remarked that she was ♦ Jean's first flying passenger. She said she was very proud of her, but her father had opposed her flying.

The 'plane is a dark blue with silver wings. Captain Leonida Robbiano, the famous Italian flyer, who is also attempting a flight to Australia, is flying a 'plane done in a brilliant red.*

"The Sketch" describes Miss Batten as defending British prestige against the Italian ace.

Miss Batten arrived in England in 1829, and now has flown 130 hours. She is one of the few women who possess a license enabling her to undertake commercial flying. She hopes to engage in air-taxi work in. New Zealand.

Born in Rotorua, ana educated in Auckland (Diocesan High School and Remuera Ladies' College), Miss Batten had her first aeroplane flight with Sir Charles' Kingßford Smith in the Southern Cross in Sydney. She went to England with her mother, and took up flying under Major Travers, of the London Aero Club. She qualified in flying and engineering at the Stag Lane Aerodrome, being the first New Zealand girl to secure the British Air Ministry's A license. Visiting New Zealand two years ago, she had her license endorsed in Auckland, enabling her to carry passengers. While here she Studied under Captain Richmond, doing considerable flying at Mangere.

Miss Batten, who is 23, is small, graceful, an accomplished musician, and a fine dancer. She is the daughter of Mr. F. H. Batten, dentist, of Auckland. Her brother, Mr. John Batten, who has appeared in several English and American films—notably "Under the Greenwood Tree," "The Love Waltz," and "Alen Like These"—also visited Auckland recently. Mrs. Batten is remaining in England during her daughter's flight. If she succeeds, Miss Batten will oe the third woman to fly from England to Australia, and the second to do itisolo.

IN SEVEN DAYS. Italian's Attempted Flight to Australia. FIRST HOP TO ITALY. LONDON, April 9. _ Captain Leonida Robbiano, the Italian, left Lyinpne at 7.20 a.m. yesterday On his second attempt to break the record for the flight from England to Australia. In order to limit his load to a 101b niargin per 100 gallons of petrol, the airman removed his food tablets from their bottles. Even then he had nearly a mile take-off. He said he would be content with five hours' sleep a night. Captain Bobbiano's machine has • a speed of 150 miles an hour, against Mr. C. W. Scott's 100 miles, and a range of 1500 miles, against Mr. Scott's 1100. He Plans to do the trip in seven days, The Italian arrived at Bari, on the east coast of Italy, last evening. He *iU depart for Aleppo at dawn.