DARING FLIER

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 141, 14 May 1930, Page 7

DARING FLIER

MISS JOHNSON’S PROGRESS. NINE MILES FROM RANGOON. ’PLANE SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). Received May 14, 1.0 p.m. RANGOON, May 13. Miss Amy Johnson landed at Insein, nine miles from Rangoon, at 5.30 o’clock to-day. Miss Johnson stated in an interview that on leaving Calcutta there was foggy weather for the morning journey to Akyab, ,which, however, was pleasant, but later she ran into terrible weather —heavy rains and strong headwinds. She made a perfect landing at Jnsein, but while taxi-ing the ’plane fell into a ditch which she had not noticed, and thus slightly damaged the wings, wheels and tiie propeller. But Miss Johnson was not injured. llie engine is functioning well, if the repairs are finished she intends to take off to-morrow. AIR MINISTER’S CONGRATULATIONS. GREAT ENTHUSIASM IN AUSTRALIA. (British Official Wireless.) Received May 14, 11.0 a.m. RUGBY, May 13. The Air Minister, Lord Thomson, has teelgraphed his congratulations to Miss Amy Johnson, wishing her success m the remaining stages of the flight. Her route from Calcutta lies through Rangoon, Bangkok and Surabaja to Port Darwin. It is Miss Johnson's present intention to make the return journey from Australia in the same Gypsy Moth machine which she is now using. Before she acquired the machine it had done considerable service, including long flights when Captain Hope used it last year to follow the Prince of Wales on his African tour. Miss Johnson’s direct route to Rangoon represented a distance pf 600 miles and involved sea crossing of nearly 200 miles. This is described as the “danger route.” An alternative route, which she declined to take, is along the coast line and is about 100 miles longer. She flew over huge stretches of jungle with no possibility of receiving aid if her machine had to come down The enthusiasm is growing in Australia over Miss Johnson’s flight. A public fund is being initiated for presentation to her when she arrives at Port Darwin. Her present long flight is all the more remarkable, as she had done little solo flying. It is revealed that .her longest solo flight previously was from London ( to Hull, 190 miles. The next stage of the flight is from Rangoon to Singapore—l2oo miles.