[FLIGHT BOUND WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18087, 11 May 1922, Page 7

[FLIGHT BOUND WORLD.

MAJOR BLAKE'S VENTURE.

NEW ATLANTIC ROUTE.

LONDON. April 28. Major W. T. Blake, who has now taken up tho world flight project in place of tho late Sir Ross Smith, is 31 years of .age. He is married and has two children. He served on various war fronts as an air intelligence officer. Subsequently in the Middle East area he was largely concerned with the organisation of the Egypt-India and Cairo-Capetown air routes. Since then he has acted as aviation correspondent of the Daily News. He flew to Russia last summer to investigate the famine conditions. Major Blake proposes to start from the Thames, near the Houses of Parliament, on May 24. If all goes weil he hopes to return to England in August or September. His chosen route, which adheres largely to that of Sir Ross Smith, deviates from it in the crossing of the Atlantic. He intends to travel from America by way of Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland. His machine will bo fitted with wireless, and will cany petrol to cover 1500 miles, which is nearly double the longest stage over sea. Major Blake will carry a cinematograph camera, as the syndicate which is helping to finance him is determined that the flight shall pay its way.

The Napier Company has offered the lean of three engines, one of which will be fitted at the start, while the second will be picked up in Japan, and the third in Canada.