SAVED BY PARACHUTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 May 1931, Page 7

SAVED BY PARACHUTES

MORE PLANES COLLIDE OCCUPANTS ESCAPE DEATH [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Received May 7, 10 a.m.) LONDON, May 6. TWo Royal Air Force Siskin fighters collided head on at Aidershot. The engine of one became detached and hurtled to the earth. Both pilots parachuted safely, lit cigarettes, congratulated each other on the escapes, and inspected the wreckage cff the machines, one of which was blazing. Simultaneously with the collision at Aidershot, a second smash occurrri at Banbury. Two Bristol* Bulldogs, flying at an altitude of 13,500 feet, crashed and were completely d?• stroyed. The pilots, also parachuting to safety, suffered only strains and bruises. Thus far, parachutes have saved the lives of sixty-six Air Force men in five years. > i ZEPPELIN’S POLAR TRIP. BERLIN, May 6. Eckener announces that, ■ with the object of deciding whether the airship is suitable transportation for Arctic exploration, the Graf Zeppelin is going to the Pole in July, coinciding with Sir H. Wilkins’ attempt. The Graf Zeppelin will carry complete polar equipment for forty-five persons, including eight scientists and > explorers, also German, English, Ameri can and Russian aviation experts.

GREENLAND SEARCH. COPENHAGEN, May 6. A correspondent telegraphs to the “News-Chronicle” that the British Arctic Air Expedition’s P.W.N. Moth plane was forced down at Angmagsalik after a flight of seventy miles over the icefield, without seeking anything of Courtauld, or of the Watkins party which set out to rescue Courtauld. HINKLER’S VENTURE. NEW YORK, May 5. Hinkler arrived at Buffalo to-day, at 2.30 p.m. He placed his plane in the hangar for the night, but made no statement. NOT GOING TO AFRICA NEW YORK, April 6. A Buffalo message states that Hinkler denied the reports that he is en route to Buenos Aires and Africa. “You see,” he said “whenever I take a plane off the ground, they get the idea I must be going somewhere. If I haven’t decided where I’m going, they decide it for me. I’m not in a position at this time to make any statement about my plans.” NEW YORK, May 6. A message from Providence (Rhode Island), states that Hinkler arrived at Pawtucket,' this afternoon from Buffalo.

KIDSTON TRAGEDY. CAPETOWN, May 6. Kidston rose to a great height to cross the Drakensburg Range. Local school children saw an object, presumably the wing of a plane, fall, and then the plane nosedived and crashed terrifically on the side of a mountain. The bodies could not be recognised, but his clothing marked Kidston. He borrowed a Puss Moth for the trip, as his own Lockhead-Vega machine was too large for the local aerodrome. DUTCH SERVICE. CANBERRA, May 7. The Postmaster-General (Mr Green) announced that a Dutch experimental air mail flight between Batavia and Australia, will begin on May 11. AUSTRALIAN MAIL. RANGOON, May 6. ■ The air mail to Australia has arrived.