HINKLER'S GREAT FLIGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19879, 24 February 1928, Page 11

HINKLER'S GREAT FLIGHT.

LENGTHY PINAL-STAGE.

NEARLY 1000 MILES IN DAY

RESTS AT PORT DARWIN.

OVERHAULING HIS PLANE.

EVE OE BUNDABERG TRIP.

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received February 23, 9.40 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Feb. 23. A message from Port Darwin says "that as Mr. Bert Hinkler flew from England to Australia in- just over 15 days, or about 130 flying hours, he created a record for the trip. He was ready to start from Biina, Dutch East Indies, at 4 a.m. yesterday. He had a tricky climb over the mountains with a full load and then made for the open sea. passed Kupang at about 10.30 a.m. He did not stop at Timor Island. The airman's first sight of Australia was Bathurst Island at 540 p.m. He flew nearly 1000 miles in the day. An enthusiastic crowd greeted hini at Port Darwin. On alighting he was presented with a bag containing 476 telegrams. He had had nothing to eat since 7 a.m. 'He said he felt sleepy but otherwise was as fit as a fiddle. His average speed from Bima was 92 miles an hour. He "had good weather all the •way. Mr. Hinkler is resttng to-day at Port Darwin and overhauling his machine. He proposes to start at dawn to-morrow for Bundaberg, his home town, where he intends to settle. The airman hopes to do this journey of 1675 miles ;n two hops. GREAT ACHIEVEMENT. APPRECIATION IN BRITAIN. MACHINE AND ENGINE TEST. (British Official Wireless.) A. and N.Z. RUGBY. Feb. 22. The feat of Mr. Bert Hinkler in flying to Australia in record time in a light aeroplane has caused the greatest satisfaction in England. Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary of State for Air, has expressed official appreciation of £Ee achievement in the following cabled message to the airman: "Your flight from London to Australia in just over 15 days, flying as you did unaccompanied in a light aeroplane, is* one further proof of what British pilots and British aircraft can do to link up the Empire by air." Port Darwin, where Mr. Hinkler landed, is nearly 12,000 miles from Croydon by the route taken. The airman left Croydon at dawn on February 7 and landed at Port Darwin to-day at 6 p.m., Australian time, which was equivalent to 8 a.m. to-day, Greenwich mean time. Thus the time taken was rather more than 15 days. Mr. Hinkler has not only easily beaten the record made by Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith, who, in 1919, flew from England to Australia in 28 days, but the manner of his doing it has been extremely remarkable. He made no great preparations, he had no financial support and his aeroplane was not a large, highpowered machine but an ordinary light machine such as anyone can buy for £675. For the past 18 months Mr. Hinkler had used this machine for touring in England and Northern Europe. The machine, however, had proved its capability and reliability in air races, having won many prizes. . Throughout his latest flight Mr. Hinkler received no assistance with his plane, not even in moving it on the ground. Never during the whole flight was it necessary to make adjustments to the engine, which is an ordinary standard 30 h.p. Cirrus. This of itself is a remarkable testimony to the good workmanship of this British-made engine. The cost of the flight has been only- about £SO, which is less than the cost of travelling to Australia by sea. Experts in England regard the flight a§ a stupendous achievement. The news of the airman's progress on the final stages of the journey has been awaited ■with some anxiety, for it was known that the rainy season had set in and that the skill of the airman and the airworthiness of his machine might be severely tested in the flight across the unfrequented seas north of Australia. Mr, Hinkler made the first non-stop flight from London to Rome, and also the fastest journey between England and India. The newspapers state this evening that the insurance which was supposed to have been effected at Lloyd's against Mr. Hinkler beating the record of 28 days set up by the Smith Brothers was never executed. Therefore he will gain nothing financially from the flight.