AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1927, Page 2

AVIATION.

* N,Z. Cable Association.)

H INC:KLEIUS PROGRESS; LONDON, Nov. 18.

A Lemberg newspaper reports Hinkler landed at Biolokrvniea in Southern Poland on the 16th and lias resumed iiis flight.

FLIGHT TO INDIA

LANDING IN WARSAW,

LONDON, Nov. 19.

Much mystery prevails and there are many conflicting reports regarding Hinkler’s doings. Authentic news is still lacking, but Warsaw reports state that the Princess Xenia was so badly damaged in landing that it will be impressible to effect repairs locally.

Two onlookers were struck and seriously injured by the machine when it was landing. Hinkler and Mclntosh left the plane in the care of tbe military authorities, to be sent to Lemberg from which place, assisted by the British consul, they entrained for London.

Another message says that the plane’s second descent was due to engine trouble, and that Hinkler and Mclntosh are still in Lemberg, whither they travelled in a train accompanied by the two men injured when the plane was landing. They reported the accident to the British consul and the Polish authorities. LONDON. Nov. 19.

A message from Warsaw says that Mclntosh and Hinkler are still in Lemberg, staying at a hotel. A representative of a Polish telegraph agency got into telephonic* communication with them at two o’clock this morning, but they refused any information regarding the accident, saying they had sent a telegraphic report to London.

An earlier message said that news had been received at Warsaw from Lemberg that the plane Princess Xenia, left at ten o’clock on Friday morning for London, and a crash was reported by tbe British United Press telegram Presumably it occurred almost immediately.

HINKLER’S STORY. Deceived this dav at 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 21

The Sydney “ Sun ” on 19tli received from Lemberg, Hinkler’s own story. After flying twenty-four hours through continuous snowstorms he landed ten miles inside of the Polish border, previously estimated near Astraean. He had covered 2800 miles. After leaving Flushing lie flew for twelve hours in the darkness and through snow storms, the most terrifying time he had ever experienced. He repeatedly lost control at a height of five thousand feet and did not regain it until a few hundred feet above the ground. Navigation was impracticable, landmarks being blotted out. fit* had to trust to his compass, and eventually was trapped among the mountains and blindly flew up among the valleys, having to sharply bank every now and again to avoid the hillsides. Dawn showed a fogbanu eight thousand feet high. The cold was intense. The machine was covered with ice. frozen limbs militating against control. He knew by dead reckoning that lie would lie somewhere over Russia, fie then decided to head for India. Three hours later finding progress was impossible, lie turned back and sought a landing place and landed safely on the rough surface of a ploughed field, near Podlinjee, Poland', watched by the populace of a village. The machine was escorted by a waggon to the police station, some miles distant and lie was detained for hours until an interpreter arrived and was satisfied with His credentials. He spent the next day in futile efforts to get a message through to England. With the help of the residents the following day he took off again in the direction of Warsaw. Nearing Lemberg the weather, became impossible and he was forced down and landed on a ploughed field. 'Hie machine fell forward on its nose, a wing-tip crumpling, and the propellor blade snapped off. He was shot out of his seat uninjured. The flight would have been successful if the weather had been better. He maintained 110 miles hourly for twenty-four hours.

REPAIRS BEING EFFECTED

LONDON, Nov. 20,

The authorities offered Hinkler every possible assistance and placed a machine and airmen at his disposal, but lie declined as lie had the Moth and was anxious his own should be repaired. There is a suggestion that the flight may be resumed to India, hut most likely they will stay in Lemberg to effect repairs, and bring the machine home. Meantime he is being lavishly entertained. One of the injured peasants has a broken leg, and the other severe bruises.

TitANS-PACIFIC venture

GILES FORCED TO RETURN,

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 19.

Against the advice of the Weather Bureau officials, Giles hopped off at 8.7 this morning for Honolulu. Twenty miles out he encountered a heavy fog, and was forced fo jettison part of his gasolene, and returned at three minutoes past nine to the Minefield airport, having been in the air barely threequarters of an hour. As he climbed out of the, cockpit, he stated that after passing San Francisco lighthouse he ran into a fog, about IS miles out, and it became so thick it was impossible to continue, therefore he dumped most of his 390 gallons supply of gasolene and headed back.

Giles slept at Minefield last night. He checked and rechecked charts in the early morning, while the mechanics again inspected the plane. A light fog had drifted over the flying fiedd during the night, but appeared to lift again after dawn. Weather reports from the United States 'Weather Bureau indicated that unfavourable conditions might be encountered between San Francisco and Honolulu, but Giles decided to leave anyway. Capt. Peterson, Giles’s manager, had urged him not to go-, and issued a statement that departure was against liis advice. The plane is capable of a maximum speed of 128 miles per hour, and its cruising speed is 105 miles per hour. The plane has a blue fuselage, nose, landing gear, yellow wings and numbers N.X. 1445 O. oil the tail rudder. There are two main petrol tanks in the fuselage between the pilot’s seat and the engine and four emergency tanks in the wings, holding a total of 390 gallons. The motor is a Wright Whirlwind of 220 horsepower.

Giles abandoned taking a rubber lifeboat in order to avoid the extra weight. He declared that he was confident the Wanda would remain afloat almost indefinitely, if forced down on to the. water. The airmen carried a small life-jacket and handsaw to cut supports and to drop the motor into the ocean if necessary, saving: “I have got a good plane, and it is in perfect condition.” He carried a magnetic and earth inductor compasses, one and a-half gallons of drinking water and a few sandwiches, also condensed emergency rations sufficient to sustain him thirty days. The Wanda is named after a sister

of Aubrey Mess, the designer of the ’plane. Giles’s plan was to rise fairly high, after the take off. to enable him to right the machine if it should fall rinto a tailspin. He announces that he will not attempt to hop off again to-day, but- wifi probably do so to-morrow,