First Woman To Fly World Solo

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30420, 20 April 1964, Page 11

First Woman To Fly World Solo

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) COLUMBUS (Ohio), April 19. Mrs Jerrie Mock became the first woman to fly solo around the world when she landed at Columbus last night. Mrs Mock, a 38-year-old hourawive, took off from Columbus on March 19 in her single-engine Cessna 180 named “Spirit of Columbus.” But the Californian, Mrs Joan Merrian, also on a world flight, has been delayed reaching Port Moresby, Beuter reported today.

Mrs Mock stepped out of the plane at Columbus to hugs and kisses from her three children and husband, Russell, and cheers from thousands of spectators.

The final stage of her flight began early yesterday morning when she flew from Tucson, Arizona, to El Paso, Texas, and then home to Columbus with a brief atop at Bowling Green, Kentucky, to refuel. The swing down to El Paso wu required to get the necessary mileage for an around-world flight since she had by-passed Singapore. Mrs Mock, who had togged more than 700 hours flying time before her world flight,

took up flying seven years ago. Her world flight took her 29 days; she was met on return by state, county and city officials. On her journey she made 21 stops. Mrs Merriam landed at Port Moresby at 0.45 a.m. today G.M.T. after abandoning an earlier attempt today to fly from Horn Island, off the north-eastern tip of Australia, because of bad weather. MRS MERRIAM ANXIOUS Mrs Merriam uid on arrival at Port Moresby: “It was the worst weather I have encountered on my trip. 1 am facing the nett log with definite anxiety.** She plans to fly across the rugged interior of Papua-New Guinea tomorrow to Lae and then on to Guam on Tuesday. Mrs Merriam is following the route taken by Mrs Amelia Earhart In her ill-fated 1937 attempt to fly around the world at the equator. Mrs Earhart vanished after leaving Lae.