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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0161.PDF
MARCH 1, 1928 Underneath the windmill he spent the night, whilst great anxiety spread throughout the world, as he was unable to send a message explaining his predicament. In the morning the flight was resumed for a distance of 50 miles to Alexandria station for breakfast. The people there had only heard of his departure from England a day or two before." Later in the day Camooweal was reached. This place is a great Queensland cattle centre, and was recently made an air port. The news of his safety was then made known and brought wide relief. Measures to search for him had been hurriedly prepared. Aircraft were in readiness, and one or two started out. It was found that the " Avian " had been seen two hours after its departure from Port Darwin passing over Katherine, but from then it had not been observed. Hinkler was none the worse for his adventure. Short hops were flown after the start from Camooweal, the places visited being MacKinley, Winton and Longreach. At the latter town most intense enthusiasm prevailed, and it seized a bystander to such a pitch that he promptly snatched " Bert' s " Luxor goggles. A plea for their return was later obeyed. Bundaberg—Home Amidst tremendous excitement and pride " Bert "' landed at his home town, Bun- daberg, at 4.15 p.m. on February 27. Ten thousand people cheered frantically, women danced with joy, fire-bells clanged, engines whistled and motor cars tooted. As he stepped from the " Avian " women dashed at him and kissed him. Then he was carried shoulder high to a platform, where, amid a wild chorus of cheers he said : "I am too overcome to say much." A procession led the hero to his mother's home, four bands and a big fleet of motor cars in front. Outside his mother's home there was a happy reunion after eight years. A civic reception followed, at which Col. Brinsmead, Australian Controller of Civil Aviation, suggested the possibility of a knighthood for the pilot. " Bert " said in his speech that the cost of his flight from England was ^50. The Premier, Mr. McCormack, handed him a cheque for £500, a gift from the Government of Queensland. He said that Mr. Hinkler had given the State the greatest advertisement it had ever received. Before this last stage of the flight from Longreach, a dis- tance of 550 miles to Bundaberg, he had worked until 2 a.m. preparing the " Avian " for it, and went back to the aero- drome at 6 a.m. At Barlaba, 380 miles from Longreach, he circled over his aunt's home. The coast was touched at Rockhampton and then followed to his destination. The whole town had ceased work that day in readiness for its hero. Congratulations. His Majesty the King sent the following message of con- gratulation through the Governor-General, Lord Stone- haven :— " Please inform Mr. Hinkler that I have received the news of his safe arrival in Australia with great pleasure. I have personally watched the progress of the great flight with great interest and am delighted that it has been successful.' This is the great "little" Australian pilot, Mr. "Bert" Hinkler,who has stirred the world with his flight to Australia in 16 days as much as Lindbergh did with the lone Atlantic flight last year. Sir Samuel Hoare sent the following message :—" On behalf of the Air Council I send you warm congratulations on the record achievement which you have accomplished on an Avro-Avian, with ' Cirrus' engine. Your flight from London to Australia in fifteen days' flying, unaccompanied and in a light aeroplane, is one further proof of what British pilots in British aircraft can do to link the Empire by air." In Parliament Sir Samuel Hoare said that Hinkler had :— "Shortened the air journey to Australia by between 12 and 13 days. Made the longest solo flight in history. Made the longest light aeroplane flight. Made the first non-stop flight to Rome. All places beyond India were reached in a shorter time than had ever been achieved. The total flying time was 134 hours, so that the flight .would have taken 5 days 14 hours if it had been made continuously, flying by day and night. '' Taking the total time spent on the flight, including nights and halts in the daytime on the ground, the average speed per hour throughout was well over 30 miles, whilst taking the time spent in the air only, it works out at an aver- age of about 89 miles per hour. Further, 12,000 miles were covered without any repairs, a striking testimony to the reliability of machine and engine. '' One of the most striking features of the flight was that the machine em- ployed was a stand- ard Avro ' Avian ' with a 'Cirrus' engine, which had been in use since 1926, and the only alteration made prior to the flight was the incorporation of extra tankage. A machine of this type costs complete, apart from the extra tanks, only ^730, and an approxi- mate estimate of the cost of the flight in terms of the petrol and oil consumed— as I have already said, no repairs were carried out—was ^50. " These figures were a striking indication of the great poten- tialities of aircraft for improving communications in the vast stretches of the Empire in which other means of communi- cation are as yet non-existent or relatively undeveloped." The Royal Aero Club at first cabled to Hinkler the simple message " Bravo." Lord Thomson, Chairman of the Royal Aero Club, cabled :— " On behalf of members of Royal Aero Club, please accept warmest congratulations upon safe arrival of your great Australian airman, Hinkler, whose magnificent flight from Mother Country to Australia constitutes a unique performance, and will stimulate the development of Empire air communica- tions, which we all desire." Mr. Bruce, the Prime Minister, announced in the House of Representatives at Canberra on February 24, that the Government had invited Hinkler to visit Canberra. On his arrival he would be asked to accept a cheque for £2,000 and a suitable memento of the flight. This action had been taken in recognition of Hinkler's skill, courage and amazing indomitableness of purpose. Mr. Bruce also expressed the hope that he would have the opportunity of welcoming Hinkler in person at the seat of Government at an early date. He cabled to Sir Charles Wakefield : " Great pleasure in accepting generous offer of ' Avro-Avian ' 'plane. Nothing could more fitly mark the great achievement of Hinkler. I feel sure that the gift will 141
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