MOLLISON’S FLIGHT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 187, 10 August 1931, Page 7

MOLLISON’S FLIGHT

AMY JOHNSON’S TELEGRAM Receive ! Aug. 9, 8.30 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 8. I nawarc of his exact address, Miss Amy Johnson telegraphed to “Mollison, Aviator, London'’ as follows: “Congratulations on magnificent flight. Hope yu*; will await my return.’’ Air Mollison replied: ''Thanks. Will surely await return.’’ Aged 26, and a Scotsman, Mr J. A. Mollison had more than 3500 hours of flying to his credit before he set out >n the Australia-England flight. He joined the Royal Air Force on a shortservice commission in 1923, and during his five-year service was stationed in England and India. He was an instructor at No. 5 Training School, Sealand, near Chester, for a year. Like his rival Scott, he gained a reputation for his boxing prowess while in the Air Force. His service over, he went to France and operated a seaplane service between Nice and Corsica for a private company. Coming to Australia in 1929, he was appointed chief instructor to the South Australian Aero Club, a position which he held for a year, ami then joined Australian National Airways, Ltd., in March, 1930. As a pilot of these air liners he flew on all the company’s routes—Sydney Melbourne, Syd. ney-Brisbane, and Melbourne-Hobart—-his flymg time totalling 1290 hours. It will be seen from the comparison below of the flights of Mr J. A. Mollison ami Mr Anderson Scott, day by day, that an initial advantage was gain- • •dby Mr Mollison when he reached Batavia on the first day. At Rangoon he was still a day to the good, ‘and fast dying enabled him to reach Aleppo on the seventh day, whereas Scott took unc days to reach the same point. From then on the times of the two airmen were more nearly equal, Mollison being robbed of several hours by tho bad conditions prevailing. The comparison is as follows: First day: Mollison, Sourabaya and Batavia. Scott, Lombok Island. Second day: Mollison, Alor Star. Scott, Sourabaya and Batavia. Third day: Mollison, Rangoon. Scott, Singapore and Alor Star. Fourth day; Mollison, Calcutta. Scott, Rangoon. Fifth day: Mollison, Allahabad. Scott, Calcutta and Gaya. Sixth day: Mollison, Karachi, Gwalar, and Basra. Scott, Johdpur. Seventh day: Mollison, Aleppo. -Scott, Karachi and Gwadar. Eighth day: Mollison, Athens and Rome. Scott, Bushirc and Basra. Nincth day: Mollison, Le Bourget and Croydon. Scott, Bagdad and Aleppo. Tenth day: Scott, Brindisi. Eleventh day: Scott Lympne. The official times established by the twe airmen are: ’Scott 10 13 20 Mollison .... £ 21 15 Record lowered bv 1 16 15