CHANNEL CROSSED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 197, 22 July 1931, Page 7

CHANNEL CROSSED.

FEATS IN GLIDER. CANADIAN’S FLIGHTS. Landing' at the St. Inglevert aerodrome, near Calais, in an engineless monoplane, Mr Lissant Beardmore, aged 54’, a Canadian opera singer, who has taken up flying, earned the distinction of being the first man to glide across the English Channel. He was towed off from Lympne by a two-seater Avro ’plane, and was drawn to a height of. 12,000 ft. above Folkstone. Then, casting off, he made a 60-mile-an-hour glide towards the French coast. He came to earth within half an hour and arrived in a state of exhaustion, caused by intense cold and wind, which blew at almost hurricane force.

“I was never so cold in mv life, even in Canada,” said Mr Bardmore. “It took about 30 minutes to ascend. Then I pulled the trigger, releasing the cable, and tho glider immediately rose. I could see, before disappearing into the clouds, the Avro reeling in the towline below. When clear of the clouds I could see the French coast.”

The occupants of the Avro say that the glider soared above the tail of the ’nlane while it was still taxiing. Then the Avro also rose, and the two craft circled the flying field, climbing steadily. They watched the glider cast off, and then headed across the Channel, having lost eight of Mr Beardmore, and arrived at St. Inglevert to see the glider oreparing to land. Mr Beardmore forestalled foreign aviators, who were preparing to make an attempt from the French side. He says he was determined that the first man to cross should be a British aviator. The project was supported by the Daily Exoress.' A German. Ivronfeld. in a "VVeim sailplane, took off from Boulogne and, escorted by an aeroplane, glided across the Channel,' landing near Dover threequarters of an hour later. He again ascended and safely recrossed the. Channel. He has been given the official honour.