ATLANTIC FLOWN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21414, 11 February 1933, Page 11

ATLANTIC FLOWN

ME. MOLLISON'S FEAT AFRICA-BRAZIL JOURNEY FRENCH RECORD BEATEN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, Feb. 9 Mr. .J. A. Mollison, who set out from Lympne, Kent, on Monday morning on a flight to Brazil in his light Moth plane Heart's Content and who reached Thies, near Dakar, French Senegal, yesterday, arrived at Natal, Brazil, at 6.20 p.m. to-day. Mr. Mollison's time for the flight from Lympne to Natal was 3 days 10 hours. He has therefore beaten the timo of the Frenchmen in the aeroplane Rainbow, which was 4£ days. Jean Mermoz was the chief pilot of the latter machine, which had triple engines and a crew of six in addition to the pilot. " Well," said Mr. Mollison, when he climbed out of the plane, " that was easier than the North Atlantic trip, but I had good weather most of the way. She is a sweet little ship," ho said, with a fond glance afc Heart's Content. Mr. Mollison was only slightly fatigued as he stepped down from the machine to shake hands with the provincial Governor, the Mayor, and tho rest of the reception committee. Thousands of people were at the landing place to greet tho airman. He will stay in Natal to-night, arid proceed to llio de Janeiro to-morrow. Mr. Mollison now is the only airman who has flown solo in an east to west direction across the North and South Atlantic. Also he is one of the only two airmen to have crossed the ocean solo in any direction, north or south. The other was Bert Hinkler, who flew solo from Brazil to West Africa in Noveml er, 3931.

BACK TO FRANCE

CAPTAIN JEAN MERMOZ START FROM ARGENTINA (Received February 10, 6.55 p.m.) BUENOS, AIRES, Feb. 9 Captain Jean Mermoz, who flew to Buenos Aires after having flown across the South Atlantic to Brazil recently, started on a flight, back to France at 12.40 a.m. to-day. Captain Jean Mermoz, with six companions, flew across the Atlantic from Africa to Brazil last month, thus terminating a flight from Is-tres, France. His flying time was 54 hours 33 minutes. Captain Mermoz used a triple-engined aeroplane to demonstrate the practicability of a regular South Atlantic service, and his crew included the constructor of the" machine, M. Rene Couzinet. The aeroplane weighs 12 tons. It averaged more than 140 miles an hour, setting a record of 14 hours 2 minutes for the 1962 miles westward across the South Atlantic. Captain Mermoz and his party were the first to breakfast in Africa and dine, in Brazil. Mr. Mollison has nowbeaten their record.

ANOTHER VENTURE

FRANCE TO ARGENTINA TWO AIRMEN SET OUT (Received February 10, 11.35 p.m.) PARIS, Feb. 9 Two noted French airmen, MM. Bossoutrot and Rossi, left Isties at 7.48 p.m. to-day in an attempt to break SquadronLeader Gayford's distance record bv a non-stop flight to Buenos Aires, including a transatlantic hop,, via Mr. J. A. Mollison's route. The machine has been christened the Joseph Lebrix. It weighs 10 tons, and has a 500 horse-power engine. M-M. Bossoutrot and Rossi are the holders of the world's record flight of 6587 miles in a closed circuit.