AIRMAN AT BUSHIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20991, 30 September 1931, Page 9

AIRMAN AT BUSHIRE.

RESUMPTION OF FLIGHT. HARD TASK BUT VERY FIT. (Received September 30, 12.45 a.m.) BUSHIRE, Sept. 29. Air-Commodoro Kingsford Smith arrived at Bushire this morning from Jask, 500 miles distant. He said he had had tiouble with the oil supply system of his machine. On the previous day ho had experienced a long, hot and trying day, being 16 hours in the air. However, ho said he felt fit enough to carry on indefinitely. Ho is still ahead of Mr. Mollison's time. Ho admitted that Mr. Mollison made a pace that was almost unbeatable. With the help of an Imperial Airways engineer Mr. Smith left Bushire for Aleppo at 10 a.m.

The following tablo shows the progress of Mr. Smith's flight to dato compared with that of Mr. Mollison:—

Tho distance from Wyndham to Croydon is 9850 miles. From Wyndham to Jask is 6100 miles, which Mr. Smith has flosvn in five days, leaving 3750 miles for him to fly from them to Croydon. This ho proposes to attempt to do in three stages, namely, Jask to Aleppo, 1450 miles, Aleppo to Rome, 1400 miles arid Rome to Croydon, 900 miles. Should Mr. Smith have reached Aleppo last evening (his sixth day out from Australia) he will be a full day ahead of Mr. Mollison's time.

MOLL! SOX. SMITH. First Day Batavia.. Cheribon, Java. Second Day Singapore. Forced down south of Victoria Point. Third Day fianstoon. Rangoon. Fourth Day Allahabad. .Thansi. Fifth Day Karachi. ■Task. Sixth Day Basra. Bnahire; left for Aleppo. Seventh Day Aleppo. Eighth Day Home. Ninth Day Croydon.