GIRL'S LONG SOLO FLIGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20564, 15 May 1930, Page 9

GIRL'S LONG SOLO FLIGHT.

MISS JOHNSON'S PROGRESS. ARRIVAL NEAR RANGOON. MISHAP AFTER LANDING. * - f MOTH SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. RANGOON, May 13. Miss Amy Johnson, who is attempting to fly from England to Australia, landed at Insein, nino miles from Rangoon, at 5..50 p.m. to-day. In an interview sho stated that on leaving Calcutta sho experienced foggy weather in the morning on the way to Akyab, but tlio trip was pleasant. Later in the day Miss Johnson encountered terrible weather —heavy rain and strong headwinds. She crossed the Yoma mountains at an altitude of about 12,000 feet. Then owing to bad visibility sho gradually descended to about 200 feet and followed the coastline and the railway till she reached Insein. Miss Johnson mistook a playing field at Insein for the Rangoon racecourse, but finding it too small to land in sho continued her flight. However, she lost sight of Rangoon, and as she could find no other landing placo returned to Insein and landed there. The landing was perfect, but while Miss Johnson was taxi-ing across tho field her Moth machine fell into a ditch which sho had not noticed. Slight damage was caused to the wings, wheels and propeller, but the airwoman was not injured and tho engine was not damaged. If tho repairs can bo finished in tiino Miss Johnson will take off to-morrow for Singapore, via Bangkok and Taiping. Miss Johnson's record to date is:— May s—Left Croydon and arrived Vienna. May s—Arrived Constantinople. May 7—Arrived Aleppo. May B—Arrived Bagdad. May 9—Arrived Bunder Abbas. May 10—Arrived Karachi. May 11—Arrived Allahabad. May 12—Arrived Calcutta. May 13—Arrived Insein, near Rangoon. Tho Moth aeroplane, " Jason's Quest," in which Miss Johnson is flying, was previously used by Captain Hope in a flight around Africa and was flown to Kenya on behalf of a London newspaper to pick up photographs of the Prince of Wales. Miss Johnson had the rnachirio painted green. The front cockpit was fitted up with extra petrol tanks, increasing tho flying range to 1200 miles. Miss Johnson is wearing a green flyingsuit to match tho colour of tho aeroplane. Sho is carrying only ono other frock, which she does not propose to wear before she reaches Australia. By streamlining the Moth the cruising speed has I been brought to about 100 miles an hour, which is about 10 miles an hour better than the ordinary machines.

AUSTKALIAN WELCOME. PREPARATIONS BEING MADE. * ESCORT OVER DANGER ZONE. (Received May 14, 9.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 14. If Miss Amy Johnson succeeds in reaching Darwin she is to have an escort of several aeroplanes, chiefly from the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service, in order that she may not bo exposed to any risks over tho treacherous routo from Darwin to Longreach. Women's sports organisations in New South Wales and Victoria nro awaiting Miss Johnson's arrival with particular interest, and they intend to give her a fitting welcome. She is certain to bo overwhelmed with hospitality. INTEEEST IN ENGLAND. PARENTS' HIGH HOPES. DARWIN PRESENTATION FUND. LONDON, May 13. After an ovation at a Rotarian Conference the president, Sir Charles Mander, read a message about Miss Amy Johnson's forced landing at Insein. The flying girl's mother, Mrs. Johnson, a slight, grey-clad figure, was overjoyed when she was informed that her daughter was not hurt, Sho said sho would,not be broken-hearted even if Amy did not break the records for the flight to Australia. Mrs. Johnson clung to her husband's arm as he deplored Amy's hard luck and hoped sho would complete her flight. Lord Thomson, Secretary of State for Air, has telegraphed his congratulations to Miss Johnson wishing her success in tho remaining stages of her flight. It is Miss Johnson's present intention to make tho return journey from Australia in the samo machine. Before sho acquired it tho Moth had done considerable service, including long flights when Captain Hope used it last year to follow tho Prince of Wales on his African tour. Miss Johnson's direct routo from Calcutta to Rangoon represented a distance of 600 miles and involved a sea crossing of nearly 200 miles. This is described as the " danger route." An alternative route, which Miss Johnson declined to take, is along the coastline before turning inland and is about 100 miles longer. Sho flow over huge stretches of jungle with no possibility of receiving aid if her machino had been forced down. Enthusiasm is growing in Australia over -Miss Johnson's flight and a public fund is being collected at Darwin for presentation to her when she arrives there. Her flight is all tho more remarkable as sho has done little solo flying. Iler longest solo flight previously was from London to Hull —190 miles. Tho next, stage of lior present flight, Rangoon to Singapore, is 1200 miles.