LOSING HINKLER?

Southland Times, Issue 21581, 19 December 1931, Page 5

LOSING HINKLER?

BRITISH AVL4TION AIRMAN MAY SETTLE IN AMERICA NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 7.0 p.m.) London, December 18. The Daily Express understands that negotiations are afoot that will possibly result in Mr Bert Hinkler’s departure for the United States, where he will be employed in American aviation. The Daily Express comments: "It seems that there is no room here for a man who, after service in the Royal Naval Air Service in war time, accomplished notable world flights and spent £lO,OOO of his own money in the course of his flying career with his only reward from the Sultan of Morocco. Mr Hinkler bought a Puss Moth for taxi work in Canada, hoping to show what a British machine could do, but with little result, so he decided to show the British flag in South America, where there is the greatest enthusiasm for British workmanship, while at Home no one seemed to care whether the ship (meaning the Puss Moth) went to the moon or the bottom of the sea. When he realized that in order to get to England he would have to either sell the machine or fly, Mr Hinkler made careful plans for a flight from Brazil via Africa, which was no hair-brained enterprise, but designed to give a chance of further enhancing the fame of British aircraft.”