AMBITIOUS FLIGHT.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18346, 4 June 1931, Page 9

AMBITIOUS FLIGHT.

ENGLAND IN 6J DAYS. MR J. A. MOLLISON’S PLANS. Mr J. A. Mollison, a well-known pilot of the Australian National Airways, has left Sydney on a flight from Australia to England in a De Ilavilland ’plane fitted with a 115 ■Gipsy No. 2 engine. He considers that he will be able to make the flight ■in GJ days. The machine will carry fuel sufficient for. 18 hours flying, at 100 m.p.li. LMr .Mollison is 2G years of age and Is regarded as having had the most varied flying experience of Australian pilots. He has always had the ambition to break the England-Australia air record, and believes. this can be done by night flying.

He served five years In the Royal Air Force, flying various types of 'planes, and was for one year an R.A.F. instructor. In 192 G he served as test pilot in India. Later he went to tlie South of France, and piloted a seaplane for a private air company between Nice and Corsica. Later he decided to come to Australia for the S.A. Aero Club, which position he held for a year. He then joined the Eyre Peninsula Airways in S.A. and later left that concern to join Australian National Airways. During the twelve months he has been with the Australian Airways he has flown on •all routes between Sydney and Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, and Melbourne and Tasmania.

Mr Mollison is a quiet, unassuming man, with determination and doggedness. While a member of the Royal Air Force, he was regarded as a boxer of unusual merit. The ’plane in which he will make his attempt is a D.H. GO Woden Fuselage Moth In which a new Gipsy 11 engine is being installed. The petrol tanks arc fitted exactly in the front cock-pit, using up all available space. The ’plane is being entirely reconditioned, stream lining is being carried out under the supervision of Mr Hewitt, chief engineer of Australian National Airways, and it is being especially strengthened to hold extra tankage. it is being spraycd*with a special black lacquer, which it is claimed reduces the skin friction considerably as compared with the usual material employed for this work. The mute will lie as follows: First Day: Derby to Batavia, with Sourabaya as emergency refuelling point; second day: Batavia to Rangoon. with Alor Star emergency refuelling point; third day: Rangoon to Jbansi; fourth day: Jhansi to Bandar Abbas, will) Karachi and Owadar emergency refuelling points; (Kill day: Bandar Abbas to Aleppo, willi Bushire emergency refuelling point: sixth day: Aleppo to Brindisi, witli Athens emergency refuelling point; seventh day: Croydon, with Rome emergency refuelling point. When he reaches London he will have bis engine overhauled and refilled, and will ronlinue on the flight back to Australia,