A RECORD FLIGHT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143788, 11 May 1912, Page 7

A RECORD FLIGHT.

“It’s a fine morning. I think I’ll fly to Paris.” So remarked M. Henri Salmon, tho French aviator, at Hendon, yesterday (says the London Daily Telegraph ot March 8). Casually as the intention was announced, its carrying into ellect embodied the accomplishment of a remarkable performance. Not raerely was it that tho aviator made a non-stop flight from Loudon to Paris—that has been done once before—but ho accomplished the journey in the astoaisliingiy quick time of 31ir. 14min. In doing so ho established a record, his predecessor and compatriot, M. Pierre Prier, having taken 3hr, ooniin., or 42min. longer, when he flow from capital to capital on April 12 of last year. In each case tho machine used was of the same type, a Bleriot monoplane, whilst another parallel circumstance is that M. Subnet is the chief pilot of the Bleriot school at Hendon, and that M. Prier was his immediate forerunner in that position, which ho resigned about six months ago to join the Bristol Company. The latter flew via Dover to Calais, but Subnet travelled by nay of Eastbourne, and in so doing made a longer sea passage than any previous cross-Channel airman. Starting and finiishing points were., liowcwen, the same—Hendon and Issy-les-Monlincanx, Hying grounds on tho outskirts ot London and Paris respectively. Although ho accomplished such a striking feat, Subnet did not achieve the object with which ho set out—to make the return aerial journey in one day. Ho started from Paris at 2.15 for this purpose, but late last night a message reached us from our Paris correspondent to the effect that the aviator had come down at Berek-sur-Mer, the wind being too strong tor him to continue his journey. START FROM HENDON. Yesterday’s -was Subnet's second attempt at tho journey. In his first effort, made some days ago, he got lost in the fog before getting away from London, and, finding himself over housetops, descended in the first open space ho found, which proved to be Regent’s Park. Although a fresh wind was blowing yesterday, the weather was regarded as favourable when Salmct started from the aerodrome at Hendon on his Bleriot. monoplane—a machine of the latest type, with a 00-h.p. Gnome engine. Determined to make a non-stop flight if at all possible, lie took with him an ample supply of petrol. In addition to the' standard tank a supplementary tank was fixed at the rear of the pilot’s seat, and together these held 17 gallons of petrol—sufficient to keep the engine going for at least three hours ant] a-half. As a precaution against ■file possibility of a fall into the Channel tho fabric of the monoplane was waterproofed as far as possible, the wings and other parts being varnished with a special preparation calculated to resist the water so that the macliino would keep afloat for a considerable time. In a recent test the* machine had rested on the water for four hours without showing any signs of sinking, so that the aviator felt confident of his «afoty if he should be compelled to descend in the Channel in a fairly smooth sea. Round his waist Sahnet wore a unique lifebelt in tho shape, of an inflated inner tube from a wheel of one of the monoplanes in the Bleriot school. A leather cap covering the head and a portion of the face was worn as a protection against the wind and the rush of air created by the flight. • It was half-past seven when the engine was started by the mechanics, and as soon as it was found to be running smoothly tho monoplane was released, the exact time being 7.43. It was somewhat slow in rising, this being attributed to the weight of the unusually large quantity of petrol, but after a minute or so a sufficient altitude had been reached to make it safe for the aviator to leave tho open stretch of the aerodrome. On the ground level tho air was almost motionless, hut when tho monoplane was about 800 ft. up it was seen to rock considerably—an evidence that there was more wind in the upper regions. When he had flown in three jyide circles round the aerodrome Sabnot had reached a height of something like 1000 ft., and, speeding away at this altitude, ho was quickly out of sight.