ADVENTUROUS FLIGHT PLANNED

Evening Star, Issue 18137, 29 November 1922, Page 5

ADVENTUROUS FLIGHT PLANNED

BRISBANE TO ’FRISCO. QUEENSLANDERS’ PLANS. If the plans of two young Queenslanders come to fruition they will within a few months attempt a flight from Brisbane to Son Pranolsco. Already their _ arrangements have reached a comparatively advanced stage. A leading firm of aircraft constructors in England has offered a seaplane with a flying range approximating 60 per cent, in excess or the distance to be covered in any stage of the flight. The Premier of Queensland, on behalf of the Government, bad promised substantial assistance on condition that the citizens of Queensland' privately subscribed a fair quota to the cost of the undertaking. The route has been mapped out, and the Queenslanders are ready to start at a, day’s notice. The aviators who are eager to attempt this daring project are Lieutenant VaL RendlC and Sergeant-pilot Herbert George Smith, D.O.M. Both have distinguished war records. They propose to fly from Brisbane to Fraser Island. _ Leaving the Queensland coast at that point, they will utilise the chain of islands which stretches across the Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands in order to break the journey into comparatively easy stages. The first stage will be 800 miles to New Caledonia, then another 800 miles to Fiji. A shorter gap, of 700 miles, will l bring the Queenslanders to Samoa. Then they will fly north for 700 miles in order to pick-up another link m the chain in Phrenlx Islands. Haring pointed the seaplane in a north-easterly direction, they will fly lor Fanning Island. A short flight from there wiR bring them to Palmvra Island, Another flight of 900 miles will find them over the Hawaiian coast, andi if conditions are favorable, they will defer the landing until they reach Honolulu. The really enticing part of the journey bo 2,000 miles from Honolulu to San Francisco. To cross the last stretch of 2,100 miles from Honolulu to San Francisco it will be necessary to arrange to pick up rafts bearing reservoirs of petrol. Itis proposed, in order to increase the margin of safely, to descend twice on the ocean for fuel, and it is .hoped to arrange with the Federal Government for pamoi over this stage of American destroyers. If the plana mature the aviators hope to leave Brisbane, about May or June next.