LONG FLIGHT PLANNED

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 80, 16 March 1934, Page 8

LONG FLIGHT PLANNED

Auckland Airwoman ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA According to cabled advice from England this week, Miss Jean Batten, daughter of Mr F. H. Batten, of Auckland, proposes to commence a flight from England to Australia on April 16. Her machine will be a Gipsy Moth, bearing the markings NA ARB. “This is the first I have heard of the project,’’ said Mr Batten when the cablegram was referred to him. Miss Batten made an attempt on a similar flight on April 9 last year, but had to abandon her plans owing to a misadventure in India, which she reached in four and a-half days. She took off from Lympne, Kent, intending to fly in daily stages of 1000 miles, and carried her belongings in a broVn paper shopping bag. XVTiile flying over Persia, Miss Batten encountered a severe sandstorm. She finally landed on a flat piece of country, only to find it was marshy ground in the wastes of Baluchistan. The aeroplane tilted and the propeller broke. She was aided by friendly tribesmen who escorted her to Bela, the capital of the Province, and she reached Karachi in a motor-lorry. Next day, after fitting a new propeller to her machine, Miss Batten started for Karachi. Engine trouble developed and she crashed on a ledge and badlv damaged her aeroplane. She suffered severe shock. After being under medical attention for a few days she left by steamer for England, stating that she intended to attempt a second flight if she could obtain another P Miss Batten was born at Rotorua and educated at the Auckland Diocesan High School and the Remucra Ladies College An accomplished airwoman, she qualified at the Stag Lane aero- > drome. London, and was the first New ■ Zealand girl to secure the British Air ■ Ministry’s A licence. Miss ■ made her first flight at Sydney’ with Str . Charles Kingsford Smith in the South--1 ern Cross. She has also flown in New • Zealand. I’he airwoman is a Ano plan* • ist and a talented dancer. Her brother, t Mr John Batten, has appeared successfully in British 11ms.