ATTACK ON EVEREST.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18805, 29 November 1932, Page 8

ATTACK ON EVEREST.

AVIATORS’ VENTURE.

NOT A SIMPLE MATTER.

DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME

(From a Correspondent). LONDON, October 11. Flying men have ' never planned a more picturesque- endeavour than the assault on Mount Everest which —if negotiations now in progress are carried through—will be made by British pilots within the next few -months. Highest of the world’s mountain peaks, the Himalayan giant lias defied many gallant climbing expeditions; most of them retired when still thousands of feet .from the summit, though it 'is possible that two British climbers reached the peak a few years ago. When last seen by their comrades they were going strong for the top—but they never came back.

At first sight the task before the flying party is comparatively simple. Everest rises 29,000 feet above sealevel. The world's height record, established last month by Mr Cyril Uwins in a British 'biplane,, is 43,976 feet, nearly three miles higher than the summit. But the mountain lies remote in the heart of a terrific range of peaks many of which rival it in stature, in a region where a forced landing would mean destruction and where blow winds of hurricane force. Further, the head of the giant is the home of tremendous storms, and vast frozen cloud masses shroud the peak from view for many months of the year. The men who take off from an aerodrome in Northern Bengal at the foot" of the great hills- to conquer Everest will know that they are beginning one of the most perilous adventures in the history of aviation. Chief pilot of the expedition is the Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale, a member of Parliament, squadron lender in the Auxiliary Air Force and well-known amateur boxer. Providing the, financial sinews is Lady Houston, whose gift of £IOO,OOO enabled Britain to enter for the Schneider Trophy contest in 1931 and to drive home there a triumph without parallel in ilie history of international air racing. The Air Ministry and the India Office are according the expedition hearty support, and the Maharaja of Nepal, within whose territory the mountain stands, has given ills permission for the flight over the summit.

World Prestige. In a speech which was read to his constituents, whom he is asking for leave of absence during the period of the expedition, Lord Clydesdale explained that the object he and his friends have at heart Is first and foremost to foster and promote British world prestige, particularly in India. He added that the flight over Mount Everest is the “only one original flight really worth while;” every other significant part of the world has been flown over. He alluded to the danger of the attempt, not the smallest peril being the fact that fifty miles of the flight takes the aeroplane above “impossible” country, but said that he had given that every consideration and had “no wish to subject this constituency again to the expense and trouble of a by-election.” In other words, like all truly great adventurers, Lord Clydesdale and his comrades have made careful plans and, while recognising the perils before them, believe in their own ability; linked with the trustworthiness of their flying equipment, to over-come them. A period of intensive training and flying trials must precede embarkation for India. Each member of the party must attain the perfection of physical fitness to withstand the ardours of flying above the Himalayas. Aeroplanes and engines must be perfectly attuned to the task; there will be no room for a single mechanical failure. Indeed, only the astonishing dependability attained in recent years by the British aero engine puts the enterprise within the limits of reasonable endeavour. The aeroplane most, obviously fitted for Ihe flight is the. high-flying Vickers “Vespa” craft powered with a Bristol "Pegasus” motor which Mr IJwins took to the stratosphere when lie set the new world's aeroplane height record. Negotiations arc going forward to secure Hie use of this machine and perhaps of another craft of similar performance: at the moment no definite announcement is possible.

Another Height Record Attempt. Two aeroplanes ore likely In ascend together, one to make Hie actual flight over I lie summit. Hie oilier In lake a photographic record of the attempt, an obvious difficully being that of securing adequate evidence that. Hie peak is actually flown over. Roth machines will carry cameras and il is honed that the record lluis ohlained will place llie success of the expedition beyond the range or scepticism. The flyers will wear specially healed clolhing of Hie kind worn by Mr Twins on his recent flights above 10,000 feel and they will breathe through oxygen apparatus. Coupled willi Ihe preliminary (lying (rials, or perhaps preceding lliem, may lie an alß'iupt by Mr Twins in reach a height still greater Ilian that now officially recognised as llie world's record. He is confident Mini his aeroplane can climb two thousand or more feet higher than It has yet done.