The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-09
FLY AROUND GLOBE
British Aviator Plans to Make
Attempt Next Spring.
Plane to Have Cruising Speed
of 80 Miles an Hour.
ms AYR nrwunF muR ~@vu--
BLAZE A new AIR ROUTE
Flight Across the Pacific Ocean
Not Yet Undertaken.
Sir Keith Has Already Estab-
Iished Stations in Orient.

San Francisco, Dec. 9-Not only
Will a new air route be blazed across
the Pacific ocean-the last remaining
great body Of water to be traverseu
by air-but also new trail across the
Atlantic may be established by SIR
Keith Smith, noted British aviator. in
his proposed flight around the worlo
next year
His flight. il successful, will be the
first round-the-w0rld flying tour and
the first air flight across the Pacific
. ocean. He is investigating the feast
-OiIiry OF crossing the Atlantic via Lab
Tador. Greenland and Iceland At
lantic flights have previously been
made direct to Ireland from New
fOundland and via the Azores to
Portugal. II conditions being investi
gated prove favorable. the new route
Will be attempted by Sir Keith in con
Guiding his world air tour.
The globe-trOtting aviator, who has
a heroic war record, was in San
Francisco today making final arrange
ments for petrol supply depots in the
Aleutian Islands ana Alaska
In Eight Jumps.
The Pacific flight will be made in
eight jumps From Petropavlosk. on
the kamchatkn peninsula to Van
couver via Alaska his plane will fly
over a practically uninhabited country
Sir Keith expects to traverse the
globe by air in 500 flying hours. The
actual time elapsed from the start
from England. the third week OF
April. until the return to England 's
expected 10 be about three months
The distance over the route he has
laid out is between $4,000 and 23.O0t
miles
The Viczers amphfbian plane
which will be used on the flight. viii
have a cruising speed of ninety miles
an hour The machine will carry
sending and directional wireless set
This will permit asking for relief in
event of accident and also the collec-
tiOn of weather information from
ships along the water route.
After leaving Japan, practically all
landings viii be made on water. The
amphibian type of plane doubles the
number Of landing places over those
that were available when Sir Keith
and his brother, the late Sir Ross
Smith. negotiated their flight to Aus
tralia. 1t is practical to descend on
water for repairs.
Three to Make Flight.
Sir Keith, another officer and a
mechanician, will make up the crew
for the long flight. The route will
be the same as followed on the Aus
tralian trip as far as Siam-over
France. Italy. Greece. Egypt. India
and siam From Siam the flyers will
proceed to Saigon, French Indoo-
China. Hong Kong and Shanghai,
China; Toxic, Japan; Kurif Islands,
kamchatka- Aleutian Islands. Alaska
and Vancouver. From Vancouver the
AAA6nl Will De uldOe across canada
to Toronto; from Toronto to New
York, from New York to St. Johns.
Newfoundland
Decision will then be made as to
the route across the Atlantic
Sir Keith has just come from China
and Japan. where he made all ne
cessary arrangements for landing
places and petrol supplies. He has
COLLECTED a mass of data on weather
conditions. prevailing winds and ocean |
conditions from which he will map his !
flight. He will go from here to Wash |
ington where photographic records of |
the United States government will be !
studied to obtain further information
on Pacific conditions