FINE SOLO FLIGHT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11115, 27 January 1930, Page 5

FINE SOLO FLIGHT

CHICHESTER- REACHES DARWIN

DID NOT BEAT HINKLER’S TIME. (Received Jan. 20, 5 p.m.) DARWIN, Jan. 26. F. C. Chichester, 'the New Zealand airman, arrived here at 3.15 on Saturday afternoon, thirty-six days after his unadvertised departure from Croydon, England. His explanation of the secrecy at the start was that lie was prepared to talk about the flight after rather than before it was accomplished. By his wonderful solo journey, Chichester joins the splendid company of Hinkler and Lindbergh. His flying time for the present flight, has not yet been worked out. but it is expected that it will not greatly exceed Hinkler’s 134 hours. It must bo remembered, of course, that the latter was made with the old type of machine, while the New Zealander is using the latest D.H. Gipsy Moth with a cruising speed of ninety miles per hour. A crash in the swamps of Tripoli, North Africa, early in January damaged the propeller and ended his chance of beating Hinkler's record. Spare parts were obtained and Chichester resumed the flight on January 1. Though his zest for adventure was damped by tho receipt of the news of his wife’s death at Wellington, steadv progress attended the airman’s journey. An eight hundred miles non-stop run from Tripoli brought him to Abosivia, where his brother is in charge of the oil supples. At Raffia Wells he had to get his valves overhauled and at Calcutta further attention was given them by native mechanics, who worked at high pressure and enabled, him to get away. Next day he narrowly escaped a crash owing to the small space and the boggy nature of the landing ground at Point Victoria. Singapore welcomed him warmly and he had a day’s rest at Batavia, where the engine was overhauled. From Batavia, owing to monsoons. Chichester says he had to drop to Sourabayii;. the visibility being poor. The next hop was to Atainboea, one of the longest he had. but the journey only occupied six hours ten minutes. From there, lie flew to Darwin direct, having a good trip. He picked up Melville Island only a quarter of* a degree out of his bearing. This hop included three and three-quarter hours over the water. Chichester says that ho would have reached Darwin on Friday but for the fact that the Dutch plans proved faulty. The people here were much .concerned at the airman’s non-arrival on Friday, but their delight to-day. was shown in the winderful reception accorded him. His present intention is‘ to leave for Sydney on Sunday. Ho will go via Burnett’s Downs and experts to reach Sydney on Tuesday. - G-