KINGSFORD-SMITH ATLANTIC FLIGHT
KINGSFORD-SMITH'S ATLANTIC FLIGHT
Including Some Notes on the Equipment of the "Southern Cross"
FLIGHT, JULY 4, 1930, Page 757 - 761
MANY attempts at crossing the Atlantic by air have been made during the last ten years : several have succeeded and some have failed. The feat having been achieved, we personally look with disfavour upon a continuance of Atlantic flights, which cannot now serve any useful purpose, and only entail a considerable amount of risk to the flyers concerned, and much worry and anxiety to others. In Sqdn.-Ldr. Kingsford-Smith's successful crossing (from East to West (which we briefly recorded in our last issue) there are, however, certain outstanding features which— apart from it being a magnificent achievement in itself— class it rather more than a mere stunt. For one thing, the flight was very carefully organised and thought out, while the machine, land 'plane though it was and not, to our way of thinking, the type of 'bus to be used on long trans-ocean flights, was very efficiently equipped, reducing risk to a minimum. The petrol system, the various instruments, the navigation arrangements, and the wireless installation were all exceptionally well planned.
- Wireless played a very important part—in fact.^but for the wireless, as Kingsford-Smith himself admits, they would not have succeeded. From start to finish they were in constant touch with the world, and so to record the'progress of the flight we do not think we can do this better than to give the wireless messages sent out, which will be found below. We also follow these with some notes on the equipment, etc., of the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross, it will be remembered, left Prirtmarnock, near Dublin, at 4.30 a.m. on June 24, the intention being to fly direct to New York, but a landing was enforced, owing to fog and compass trouble, at Harbour Grace at 11.57 a.m., June 25 ; they were thus in the air nearly 31 £ hr. The journey to New York was completed June 26, when the Southern Cross left Harbour Grace early in the morning. Dense fog banks again hampered them, and progress was slow, and they did not land until late in the evening. However, they received a tremendous welcome, and each broadcast a short speech before being escorted to their hotel.