MISS JOHNSON’S FLIGHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21032, 22 May 1930, Page 9

MISS JOHNSON’S FLIGHT

ARRIVAL AT SOURABAYA. GREAT INTEREST SHOWN. PREPARING FOR NEXT HOP. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph— Copyright.) WELTEVREDEN, May 20. Great interest was shown ill Miss Amy Johnson’s arrival at Sourabaya. Many ladies were present. She said she had an eventless flight from Samarang. The engine functioned irregularly, which she ascribed to a leakage in the petrol pipe. After a few hours’ rest at the hotel she returned to the flying camp for the purof fully preparing the machine for continuation of the flight to-morrow morning, when she will probably fly to Atamboea, although she may possibly proceed ‘only to Bima. TERRIFYING EXPERIENCES. FLYING THROUGH THE MONSOON LONDON, May 20.' The narrative of Miss Johnson’s flight on Monday is stirring. In the tempest over the Sumatra jungle she bumped to within a few feet of the tree tops, and was ready to jump with the parachute at any moment. While she was crossing the Java, Sea the. monsoon compelled her to fly almost at water level. She said: “At times 1 -could not distinguish the waves from the sheets of rain. I was terrified by the sharks waiting for me to fall.” TROUBLE WITH PROPELLER. • LONDON, May 20. The Daily Express’s Sourabaya correspondent states that when reminded that she looked tired Miss Johnson said: “ I shall go on to the bitter end. I an. tired, ever so tired, but 1 am not going to quit now.” She explained that the propeller was unsatisfactory, but she had found a Moth owner at Sourabaya who was willing to lend her a propeller, and. she would leave the old one behind. “We will see what happens to the new one. The engine is rather tired, and is losing compression as well, and must be repaired before the last water hop to Darwin.” HELD UP AT SOURABAYA. DEFECT IN THE MAGNETO. WELTEVREDEN, May 21. Miss Amy Johnson will not start from Sourabaya to-day, owing to a defect in the magneto. THE PLANE OVERHAULED. WELTEVREDEN, May 21. (Received May 21, at 8 p.m.) The Royal Air Force Company staff during the night overhauled Miss Johnson’s plane, but the magneto trouble was not overcome sufficiently to enable the flight to be resumed. When informed of her had luck Miss Johnson was keenly disappointed. Meanwhile, the sport flyer at Djocjacarta, who had already sent a reserve propeller to Sourabaya, arranged to despatch a new magneto, which will arrive here this afternoon, but too late for Miss Johnson to leave to-day: Her departure has nmw- been provisionally fixed for to-morrow morning. Miss Amy Johnson has still about 1250 miles to fly before reaching Darwin. From Sourabaya she will hop to Tambora, Sumbawa Island, Dutch East Indies, about 400 miles, and from Tambora to Darwin, about 850 miles. Miss Johnson, who is 22 years of age, spent several months at Stag lane aerodrome. Edgware, working as a mechanic in order to qualify for'her ground engineer’s license. She is the only girl to hold one. She is reputed to know as much about aeroplane construction and engine repairs as any of the men. She is a B.A. in economics (Sheffield University), an Associate of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and a member of the Women’s Engineering Society. Her pilot’s license is an A. Commander Bennett, an authority on meteorological conditions in the Timor Sea, has advised Messrs C. C. Wakefield and Co. that at this season of the year south-easterly winds, with a velocity of 4p miles per hour, are usual from sunrise to 10 a.m. 1 The company accordingly advised Miss Johnson through its Sourabaya branch to delay her departure from Koopang to Darwin until 10 a.m. to lessen the danger of petrol shortage. In a cable message expressing her thanks Miss Johnson said she expects to arrive at Darwin on the 21st inst.