Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-28
FLYER TO ATTEMPT
EVEREST CONQUEST
French Aviator to Take Off
DarjeeIing, India, in
April or May.
BY JAMES Il. WHARTON.

Special CORRESPONDENT of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.
PARIS, January 2S.-Lieut. Jean
Calico. holder of the world altitude
record. has completed his plans to
conquer Mount Everest, the world
highest mountain peak. by airplane
He will Use light two-seter bipane.
now nearing completion in the Rleriot
factory. in his effort to draw aerial
circles over the top of the King of the
Hima layas.
Calico plans his assault on Everest.
the owering guardian of the pass be-
tween Nepal and Thibet on the hor-
der of India and China. for late April
or early May. That season is said
TO provide the best flying weather of
the year in northern India.
Confident of Success.
The French ace is confident of his
ability to conquer the great mountain
which has baffied the finest climbers
and has killed several of them
through the violence of its swirling
Snowstorms.
Calico has climbed up into the sky
to an altitude of 39.5ss feet. Everest
reaches upward only 29.0O2 feet His
main concern, therefore. will not he
one of altitude. hut a fight against
a bout the mountain top.
The aviator Will attempt his climb
in special two-seated bipan ne. equip
ped with single 500 horsepower
Jupiter engine.
He and his navigator will try to
circle close enough over the peak to
film the famous FINAL pyramid"
which no man has yet seen at close
range.
speedy one. tipping the scales a only
1900 pounds. The fuselage is of wood
p feet long. with a wing spread Of
80 feet and a wing surface of 81
square meters. After completion
next month. it will he tested at the
factory and Immediately Grated for
shipment to India This is done to
keep it fresh for its task The type
of machine selected is said to be the
best climbing airplane in existence.
Will Start I'm March
The expedition. known officially as
the "CalliZo Mount Everest EXredi-
ton" will include Calico, his navi-
gator and two mechanics. They will
take a p. & o. steamer out of London
or Marseille early in March, sailing
through the SueZ Canal for Calcutta.
Thence they will proceed bv rail due
noItn TO ldTleellnS or hdlfnfepnS
Road. the railhead above Calcutta,
where the airplane will be assembled
and the hop-off made. The peak of
Everest is only 100 miles distant
from Darjeeline as the crow flies. Cal
liZo expects to accomplish his feat
between breakfast and dinner.
Toward the end of Nav had flying
weather begins in Tibet. The IN
dian monsoon breaks. with wind and
snow isolating the Himalavas. But in
latter April and early Nav Calico
expects a moderate sOuthwesterly
wind. with good visibility.
The choice Of Darjeeling as a base
has the advantage that it stands at
an altitude of 200 feet above sea
level. 1t will enable Calico to gain
A slight altitude acclimatiZa ton be
fore the hop-off. During his climb
he will wear mask over his face.
with a tube running into an oxygen
tank. to be used when he reaches
the zone of thin atmosphere.
Will Circle Peak.
After the hop-off he will rapidly
open out his motor until it attains
its maximum speed of about $50 miles
an hour. On this basis he will com
mence his climb, 90 that by the time
he reaches Everest, 100 miles away.
he should be we'll above the peak.
Then he will drop down cautiously.
circling the peak as closely - safety