PACIFIC AIRWAYS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20679, 18 March 1937, Page 7

PACIFIC AIRWAYS

THREE PLANES TO MAKE JOURNEY AMERICAN WOMAN’S PROPOSED WORLD FLIGHT United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received March 17, 11.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, March 16. The survey clipper en route to New Zealand on the proposed Trans-Paciflc air route will start to-morrow. Mrs Amelia Earhart Putnam who plans to fly round the world, will also begin her flight. The weather forecasts announced that the storm is clearing rapidly, but the ’planes might encounter northerly crosswinds. The Pan-American Airways announces that the Hawaii Clipper which has been delayed for several days will also start, which will mean that three planes will be crossing the Pacific. The Pan-American Airways officials said that this would tax the communication facilities, but it is believed an acceptable schedule could be arranged, due to the varying cruising speeds of the planes. The New Zealand Clipper can do 155 miles an hour, the Hawaii Clipper 140 miles, and Mrs Earhart Putnam’s planes 180 to 190 miles. The three planes will follow the same route to Honolulu.

“Lady Lindy,” as Mrs Putnam has been called, began her flying career shortly after the Great War, and in 1928, as a passenger, she crossed the Atlantic. Four years later, in 1932, she piloted her own machine across the si.me ocean, landing in Ireland. Her solo flight across the Atlantic, fraught with many adventures, took 131 hours, and established a twofold record; never before had any woman piloted an aeroplane solo across the Atlantic, and never had anyone taken so short a time. When she landed it was found that there was just sufficient petrol left in the tanks for one hour’s flying. Shortly afterwards she flew across the United States, doing the 2500 miles in 19 hours 4 minutes. In 1935 she “hopped” from Honolulu to California, 2408 miles, in 18 hours 16 minutes. Her husband is the well-known publisher.