RETURNING TO LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 22878, 9 February 1938, Page 11

RETURNING TO LONDON

A. E. CLOUSTON ABANDONS HIS FLIGHT A REPORT FROM ISTANBUL Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, February 8. The correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ at Istanbul reported' that Flying-officer Clbuston is not continuing his flight to New Zealand, and is returning to London. CRASH IN CYPRUS NEITHER OCCUPANT HURT. NICOSIA, February 8. Flying-officer Clouston , crashed in landing, the cause being a burst tyre. Neither of the occupants of the plane was hurt. They are returning to England by ship on February 10. UNDERCARRIAGE SMASHED NICOSIA, February 8. (Received February 9, at 10 a.m.) A tyre burst when taking off from Adana, and Clouston realised that a crash was almost inevitable wherever he landed. The aerodrome surface at Nicosia was bad, and the undercarriage was smashed and the propeller bent. Clouston likened Adana Aerodrome to a swamp. “ All across Europe,” he said, “ we flew blind through fog and snowstorms, and did not see a single thing until we slithered into the mud at Adana. We had six gallons left.”LETTER TO PARENTS HAD OHLY FOURTEEN DAYS’ LEAVE [Per United Press Association.] NELSON, February 8. “ You can take it that this flight will' be a careful, successful venture, and not a roaring, mad race to smash all records,” wrote Flying-officer Cloustou in a letter just recieved by his parents, Mr and Mrs R. E. Clouston, of Neudorf. The letter continues: “ 1 have checked up on ’dromes in New Zealand, and the only two I can land on are Christchurch and Blenheim. The Comet comes in at 100 miles per hour, and, in view of this fast landing speed, I cannot get her down on the Nelson ’drome, and I think Motneka would be just the same, and so my official landing place is Blenheim, where I shall have the Comet for four days for a thorough check over before the return trip, which should take about five days. I can only get 14 days’ leave from the Air Ministry for the flight, and so my stay in New Zealand will be from Friday to Tuesday.”- , . ..