GILES FORCED BACK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19799, 21 November 1927, Page 9

GILES FORCED BACK.

HEAVY FOG MET WITH. ONLY 20 MILES COVERED. PACIFIC FLIGHT POSTPONED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received November 20, 8.5 p.m.) A. and &.Z.-Sun. SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 19. Captain F. A. Giles started on his transpacific flight at 8.17 a.m. to-day, against the advico of the officials of the Weather Bureau. When he was 20 miles out he encountered a heavy fog and was forced to jettison part of'his petrol. He returned to the Mills ITield airport after lie haa been in the air barely 45 minutes. When ho had climbed out of tho cockpit he said that after passing the San Francisco lighthouse, about 18 miles out from the coast, he encountered a fog so thick that it was impossible to continue. He dumped nearly 390 gallons of petrol in the ocean and headed back to the shore. Giles slept at the Mills Feikl last night, and checked and rechecked his charts early this morning, while his mechanics again inspected the plane. A light fog had drifted over the flying field in the night, but it had appeared to lift after dawn. Tho weather reports from tho United States Weather Bureau had indicated that unfavourable weather might be encountered between San Francisco and Honolulu, but Giles decided to start. Captain Peterson,* Giles' manager, had urged him not to go, and he issued a statement just before he left, saying the departure was made against his advico. Giles says ho will not now make a further attempt until the weather is advantageous. He had been warned yesterday by Captain Kingsford Smith, who made two test flights in the jilane Southern Cross, that the conditions were likely to be unfavourable. ASSISTANCE TO SMITH. AMERICAN WAR DEPARTMENT HAWAII LANDING FIELDS. (Received November 20, 9.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON. Nov. 19. The War Department announces that the Army radio and beacon services will be available for Captain Kingsford Smith on his flight to Australia via Hawaii. The Army officials have been directed by the department to furnish every possible assistance at Crissy Field and Wheeler Field, Hawaii. EMPIRE AIR CRUISE. ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA. FLYING-BOATS AT KARACHI. (British Official Wireless.) A. and N.Z. RUGBY, Nov. 18. The four Royal Air Force flying boats which are engaged on a great Empire cruise to Australia, via India and Singapore, and back to the Singapore base, arrived safely this morning in Karachi Harbour.