FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1929
1929 - 0069.PDF
JANUARY 10, 192.) D RIVA FLYING A Section of FLIGHT in the Interests of the Private Owner, Owner-Pilot, and Club Member LADY BAILEY'S RECORD SOLO FLIGHT 18,000 Miles on a "Cirrus-Moth" THE first light aeroplane flight round the African continent has been successfully completed by the Hon. Lady Bailey, in her " Cirrus-Moth." She is expected at Croydon Aerodrome as we go to Press, having flown nearly 18,000 miles since the l>eginning of last March, on the usual route through Cairo to Cape Town but back on a deviating route along the west side of Africa which no light aeroplane had flown over before. This is the longest solo light aeroplane flight. Lady Bailey left Croydon on March 9, 1928. In her machine, fitted with the A.DC. " Cirrus, Mk II," an extra petrol tank had been installed in the front cockpit. This made possible non - stop flights of 10 hours. Only two small suit- cases comprised her personal luggage. The first landing after leaving Croy- don was at Sacy le Petit (Oise) owing to fog. Paris was reached the follow- ing day. Immediate progress was then checked by snow- falls, but after get- ting away, Lady- Bailey arrived at Lyons, March 11, having encountered a little difficulty with a faulty compass. In face of a strong mistral Marseilles was made on March 12. On her depar- ture the same day lor Pisa and Rome, at noon, a number of pilots gave her an aerial farewell . Then came Naples, March 13, and Catania on March 14, and after a stage of 115 miles on March 15, Lady Bailey descended at Malta. The sea trip across to the North African coast was flown on March 16, the landing being effected at Honis. There, after re- OlSTiVARO FROM CROVDO. > RETVRN TO CROYOON Our sketch map traces the course from England, across France, and round the African continent flown by the Hon. Lady Bailey alone in her Cirrus-Moth between March, 1928, and January, 1929. About 18,000 miles were covered altogether fuelling, she flew to Tripoli. On March 18 Aboukir was reached, and Cairo two days later. When arrangements for an escort by Lieut. Bentley were decided, Lady Bailey went on to Luxor on March 27, Aswan March 29, and later to Wady Haifa through a sandstorm and in intense heat. That storm blotted out the ground, and thus left no choice had an emergency landing been necessary. The stage took 125 minutes. On March 31 came Atbara and Khartoum on April 2. There Lieut. Bentley joined her for the continuation on April 5, and provided an escort as far as Nimule. With so much of the 8,000-mile outward flight successfully achieved, Lady Bailey had the misfortune to crash at Tabora on April 8. It was stated that she had no map of the Kisumu - Tabora stage, and flew to Nzega but found no possible landing ground. Turning back to Shimyanga, she landed there to inquire her way and then flew on to Tabora. This delay caused the arrival at the latter place during the hottest part of the day, when the air was very bumpy. The aerodrome there is 4,000 ft. above sea level. Lady Bailey thought she took insufficient notice of these condi- tions. Her landing was heavy and the machine turned over, breaking the fuselage and a spar. The engine and petrol tanks were salved. It seems that an approach to the aerodrome on the west side would have been easier if a gap had been cut in a row of trees. Another D.H. " Moth " became at Lady Bailey's ser- vice in a short time through the D.H. " Moth " agent in S. Africa, Mr. J. H. Veasey. It was flown from Roberts Heights to Tabora by Maj. Meintjes. About April 20 the flight was continued to Broken Hill, and, four days later, in spite of an attack of influenza, she got to Livingstone. A strong wind troubled the next stage to Bulawayo on April 25. Nine machines gave an escort on the arrival at Pretoria on April 27. Just after noon, April 30, the 8,000- mile lone outward flight was completed at Cape Town, later than anticipated. Baffling winds and cloud had impeded the final stage from Beaufort West. Two machines went up to escort the D.H. " Moth," but failed to sight it in the clouds. Sir Abe Bailey was the first to greet his wife. The Mayor was present also, as well as many representatives of the local club. Return FlightThis resume of the return flight is approximate. Many 29
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
