AVIATION.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20273, 26 June 1931, Page 11

AVIATION.

RECORD TRANS-ATLANTIC FLIGHT. BEST TIME BY TWENTY-FOUR MINUTES. OFFICIAL WIKELEoS.) RUGBY, June 2*l. Tho record for the Atlantic flight) which was established in 1919 by the English airmen. Sir John Alcock and Sir Wliitten Brown, was broken today when, 15 hours and 4-8 minutes after leaving Harbour Grace (Newfoundland). the American airmen, Wiley Post, accompanied by a former Australian Naval cadet, Harold Gatty, landed at Seafield Aerodrome, near Chester They beat the record by 24 minutes. "Hullo, England! We've done it I was the airmen's greeting as they steppod out at Seafield. "It has been a splendid trip throughout," said Gatty, "a real joyride. We had smooth conditions the whole way, excepting the first few hours." r The flyers wasted no time. They filled up their petrol tanks, hastily, examined their machine, and took oif again for Berlin within two and halt hours. The navigator on the flight, Mr Harold C. Gatty, was at one time in the employment of the Union Steam Ship Company, and spent a good deal of time in New Zealand waters. He is 2H years of age, the son of Mr J. Gatty, town clerk of Richmond, South Tasmania After he left school he went to the Jervis Bay Naval College, and after he left there joined Patrick Steam Ship Co., of Sydney, rising to the position .of second officer. It was after thit he came to New Zealand, serving on a number of the Union Company'fc vessels Mr Gatty's nest move was to_ the United States, where he took a jot> as second officer on a millionaire's yacht. He became particularly interested in the navigation of aircraft, and gained a good deal of experience in it.

ARRIVAL AT BERLIN. (Received June 25th, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 23. The airmen, Wiley Post and Harold Gatty, were clamorously welcomed at Berlin. They leave for Moscow tomorrow. Gatty is a Tasmanian, formerly with the Union Steam Ship Company. [The record trans-Atlantic flight of John Alcock and Arthur • Whitten Brown, who were knighted for thoir achievement, was made in June, 1919, flying "a twin-engined Vickers biplane. The distance from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Ireland was 1890 miles. They flew tlio journey in 16hrs 12min and won the "Daily Mail" ;£lojooo prize.] OFF TO MOSCOW. (Received June 25th, 11.48 p.m.) BERLIN, Juno 25. The aviators Post and Gatty fiavo departed for Moscow. FLIGHTS OVER INDIA. THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIBELBSS.) (Received June 25th, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, June 24. In the House of Commons, the UnderSecretary for Air, Mr F: Montgaue, said he was not aware that the Indian Government had placed obstacles in tho fray of flight over Indian territory of machines other than Indian machines with Indian pilots. In regard to air transport services he understood that it would be contrary to that Government's policy to subsidise ,any company other than an Indian Company with rupee capital and an Indian personnel. He added that the Secretary for Air was fully alive to tho importance of a continuous development of air routes throughout the Empire and the Government's policy was directed towards that end.

MRS KEITH MILLER. HUSBAND SUING FOR DIVORCE. (Received June 25th, 7.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, June 25. George Keith Miller, 84 years of age, a journalist engaged on the "Weekly Times," obtained the Court's sanction to serve a citation of papers on his wife, Jessie Maud Miller '(29), the wellknown airwoman, now residing in America. Her husband is suing for divorce on the ground of desertion. Mrs Miller and Captain W. N. Lancaster flew to London from Australia in 1927 * ;■ ',