The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-03
PLANS STOP
AT AZORES
TO REFUEL
Mysterious Pass senger'
Aboard Thought to BE Z. B.
HOSmer of Montreal
PAID $500 FOR THE TRIP
Lieut.. DOwner Is Navigator
and r. +. Little Engineer
on Flight

London. Sept. 3-(P,-An un-
dated Exchange Telegraph dis
patch states that Captain r. T..
Courtney was obliged tO land on
the Spanish coast owing to had
weather conditions. The dis
patch adds that all was reported
we'll
Plymouth. England, Sept. 2.--G--
Captain r. G.. Courtney began his
long deferred Atlantic flight at G:26
this morning 20 a. m. eastern day
light timel his immediate destination
being Cair Horta. Azores, about 200
miles distant. which he hoped to
reach by 10 o'clock tonight. At Horta
he will rcfuel, fly to Newfoundland
and then to New York. He is ac
companied by Lieut.. Downcr as navi
gator. and X. +. Little. engineer.
There was also passenger aboard.
described By officials as a canadian
millionaire" who is said to have paid
l.,,O0 pounds about $7.5001 for a
seat in the plane. He is about 65
years of age.
Third Start Successful
The British airman made two un-
successful attempts to leave the WA
he could not rise because of lack Of
plane gathered speed of about so
miles an hour, when fresh breeze
caught the wings and the Whale
gently took the air. He headed her
almost directly south towards Eddi-
stone lighthouse amid the cheers of
the crowd gathered ut the Royal Air
Force seaplanc base. and was lost to
view within few minutes.
Mrs. Courtney arrived at the air
station shortly before midnight and
remained to watch her husbands last
minute preparations. When the sea-
plane finally took off. she clapped
her hands excitedly and checred her
husband probably louder than any
Of the other spectators. She re-
mained waving her handkerchief un.
til the plane was out of sight.
Started Planning in June
Captain Courtney, an 1tishman by
birth, became interested in aviation
during the European war and sought
a place as a flyer with the Royal Air
Force hut was rejected because he
wore glasses. He did get into the
air in an auxiliary capacity, being
wounded in an air battle over Loos,
France. Subsequently he tested Eng
lsh planes. He began preparations
for the transatlantic flight in June
and was all ready to start carly in
July, but again and again storms
frustrated the departure.
Although the identity Of Courtncy's
passenger was carefully guarded, it
is believed that he is f. b. Hosmcr
Of Montreal.
London. Sept. 3.-tP)--The radio
station at Lands End intercepted Il
wireless message from the French
steamer California at 1926 this morn
ing, 1926, eastern daylight time)
saying that in latitude 1910 north.
longitude 6:40 west, an apparently
white plane" was sighted flying west
at height Of 500 meters (about 1850
fcet).
If the plane reported sighted by the
steamer was Courtney's Whale. it
would indicate that the seaplanc had
covered $50 miles, for the position
given is about that far from Ply
mouth.
London, Sept 3.--(P)-A wireless
message picked up at Qucssant Is
| land, France, from the trawlcr Otaric.
and rclayed by the Lands End radio
station, says the trawler sighted n
grey airplane in latitude 1920 north
and longitude $40 west IT s:s4S4 m.
! f3:36 a. m. eastern d11lithts @me)
flying at height of about 200 me-
ters tabout $50 feet) bound south.
The position given by the trawler
is about 270 miles southwest Of Cap
tain Courtney's starting point, Ply
mouth.