AMERICAN AIRMEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22726, 12 May 1937, Page 11

AMERICAN AIRMEN

ARRIVAL AT CROYDON AN EARLIER MISUNDERSTANDING LONDON, May 10 Mr. Richard Merrill, who left New York at 2.35 p.m. yesterday, landed to-day at North Weald, Essex, after completing the first half of a return trip to mark the Coronation. He was accompanied by a co-pilot named Lambie. Eastern Airlines lost radio contact with the fliers when they were half-way to London, but they connected with Croydon when 100 miles from the Irish coast. They reached Croydon 21 hours 2 minutes after leaving New York. They had planned to complete the journey in 20 hours. "Where are we?" asked Mr. Lambie when the fliers landed at the Air Force station at North Weald. "What are you doing here and who are you?" was the chilly reply. "This is private land; fliers being forbidden to land in military aerodromes." Mr. Merrill stayed in tjie cockpit while Mr. Lambie hastened to the hangars where the misunderstanding was cleared up. Within 12 minutes the airmen reached Croydon where they were very warmly welcomed. Mr. Merrill said of the flight: "We had an unpleasant trip. It! is a long way to come for a few pictures. Moreover, we shall not see the Coronation." The airmen are due to leave immediately after the Coronation for New York with films of the ceremony. "FREAK" FLIGHTS WASHINGTON'S ATTITUDE BAN MAY BE IMPOSED (Received May 11, 9.50 p.m.) NEW YOEK. May 10 The Washington correspondent of the New York Times says the Bureau of Air Commerce is seriously considering banning from American soil the start of ocean flights of a freak nature. The Assistant Secretary of the department, Mr, J. M. Johnson, said he considered that Mr. Merrill's flight and the proposed Lindbergh race were' in that category. Such flights were dangerous and created obstacles to the development of commercial ocean lines.