FLYING

Wairarapa Daily Times, 19 August 1933, Page 5

FLYING

A SURPRISE ARRIVAL ... ■ ■ ~' si W'-yvi'jii-WOODS AT CROYDON. ■ ;L: \ ; ■' • ’ 1 *- Press Association Electric Telegraph— Copyright LONDON, Friday. A A complete ‘ absence of cheering crowds and only a few officials greeted the West Australian airman, Jimmy Woods, who is described as the world’s unluckiest airman, when he landed, at Croydon to-day. , His arrival was a. complete surprise,' as lie . had not been reported since he left Karachi on 13th: August. It. is now stated that Mr Woods damaged the undercarriage of his plane while taking off from Bunder Abbas on> 24th July. He eventually left ou 11th August. To-day lie flew from Italy against head winds and rain storms, and arrived in the darkness. He very fatigued, refused interviews and immediately went to bed. Mr Woods told the surprised Croydon officials: “My name is Woods. I have just flown from Australia. You. have no idea vßat it is like to get the fresh air of Europe after being bashed about by monsoons and siroccos and all ; the vile winds of the Middle East. T left Bunder Abbas on Thursday and have battled against every wind and form of nature since.’’

(Mr Woods, who left Broome, West Australia, on 7th July, expected to complete the journey in six days, as against the present record of 8 days 21 hours 25 minutes, held by,Mr J. A. Mollison. His machine is a Moth, ’with a Gipsy 11. engine, and registered as VII-UPD. It .has a cruising speed of 100 miles an hour, and is fitted with a long-range wireless transmitter weighing 121 b. Almost from the start he met with a series of misfortunes. After being C'.nsiderably delayed, by monsoonal storms between Rangoon and Bombay be was compelled to await, extensive repairs to his plane at Allahabad. These completed, he out, but when taking off on 29tIi'Jiuy at Bundar Abbas the uuder-earriage collapsed, and he was again compelled to await tlsc arrival of replacements.)