FLIGHT OVER EVEREST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 6 April 1926, Page 2

FLIGHT OVER EVEREST

FRENCHMAN PREPARING SPECIAL TYPE OF BIPLANE PARIS, March 20. Lieutenant .lean Callizo. the French aviator, who is the holder uf the world's altitude record, has completed his plans to attempt to conquer Mount, Everest by aeroplane. Lieutenant Callizo plans his assaidi mi Everest for late in April or early in May. That season is said to provide the best flying weather of the year ,in Northern India-. The French airman is confident of his ability to conquer the great mountain, which has baffled the finest climbers and has killed several of them through the violence of its swirling snowstorms. Lieutenant ('alli/.o has climbed up into the sky to an altitude of 39,588 ft. Everest leaches upyard 29.032 ft. His main concern, therefore, will not be one of altitude, bul a flight against the vicious wind currents which eddy about 'he mouinla in top. The aviator will attempt his climb in :i special two sealer biplane. cqiiippi d '.'.hi. a single 500 horse-power .Inpilci engine. lie and his navigator will lr\ to circle close enough over Ihe peak li dim the famous ' tin:.l pyramid." which no man has yet seen al close range. His biplane is a lighi and speedy one. i ipping ibe scales al onlv 330011..' 'I be fliselago is ol VV1....1. -Til', ling. with a wing-spread of 59!t. and a wing sm face of 37 square mci res Aft. r i omple t ion ncxl moot h al ihe Rlei iol facto, v il will be tested and immediately i lal ed l'..r shipment to India. The Iv pe i -,' machine selected is said In be ilie b.-:-i .■ 11 mt.111>_•; aeroplane in existence. The expedition will hi Lm/tvri officially as the ■''alli/o Mount Everest E:-:pcdi tion." !t will include Lii tit. ( jdli/.0. hi- na\ i-al. r and two i hanics. Thev will go to Darjeeling or Kaliiup. n'u Road. Lhe railway above ( al< nttji. v.hc-c ihe aeroplane will be assembled. The peal; of Everest is only 100 miles distant from Darjecline; as the cr>.-w Hies. Lieutenant Callizo expects In ac (omphsli his feat between breakfast and dinner.