COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22368, 15 September 1934, Page 24

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

BRITISH MONOPLANE’S LONG FLIGHT (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, August 4. The important Czechoslovakian shoemakers, Bata A. S., who employ a fleet of 20 aeroplanes, have taken delivery of their second Spartan Cruiser threeengined monoplane, which will be used for long journeys by the firms’ executives. . Recently the first Cruiser acquired by the company completed a flight, over three continents of 22,000 miles—the longest single journey ever made by a Czechoslovakian pilot. The machine flew from Zlin, the Bata headquarters,. over the Mediterranean to Egypt, the Sudan, British Equatorial Africa and Capetown. The return flight was by way of Sudan, Iraq, over the Taurus mountains to the Balkan States and thence to Zlin. The last stage, Sofia-Zlin, was made non-stop. Beginning on May 1, the trip lasted two months. Mr J, Forejtnik was the pilot. From start to finish neither the aircraft nor its three Gipsy Major motors gave the slightest trouble.

One of these low-wing monoplanes made in the latter months of 1933 the longest “ special charter ” flight on record, a journey of 32,000 miles to Australia and back, which was undertaken by two British M.P.’s.