New Britain herald., 1928-04-23
ANOTHER EPIC FLIGHT OVER THE ARCTIC

N
 OVER THE ARCTIC
 For the third time in history man has flown across the Arctlc' lhe epic flight of Captain George h. Wilkins and his pilot, Carl E. Ellison, over the ice from Point Barrow Alaska, 10 Spitzbergen was the flrst tin}e an airplane had been utilized Tn 7. transarctic flight, as distinguished rom the flight from Spltzbergen to in. Pol. and return made in May, 1926, by Lieutenant Commander Richard L, Byrd and hls pllol. rloyd G. Bennett. The dlrlslple Norge. q week later in the same wear. attained the first transarctlc trip. from Spitzbergen to Point Bar tow. leaders were Captain Roald Amundsen, originator Of the ex- naaition. Lincoln Ellsworth, and Colonel Lmberto Mobile, commander uf the airship. On board was crew of considerable proportions.
 So much for the history of Polar lights, a resume such as this yielding :, hackeround for consideration of the latest to fire the imagination. Rear Admiral Robert F. peary, Jjseoyerer of the Pole, was out Of touch with civilization for Apo days when he made his memorable dash with dog sleds. So far has man con- n,1ered distance over ice packs since that time that the airplane trips over the top of the world each took ap- nroximately q days flying; and the trip Of the Norge. which encountered bad weather near Alaska, took two and half days.
 The distance from Spitzbergen to the Pole is GOO nautical miles; from Point Barrow to the Pole 1,2oo. No signs of life have ever been seen north of S3 l-2 degrees, up to which point polar bears and white whales have been noted. No aviators as yet have attempted a landing in the Po- lar regions: perhaps that will come in due time.
 The Wilkins flight was the third i,e attempted over the same course the other two having been partla! failures. The perseverance Of the Detroiter finally fructified into sue cess after a hazardous landing upon ;.n uninhabited island, where he and his partner were discovered by wh;rlers
 The thrill Of this flight is in- uvnse. Flying across the Arctic Is q short cut between Europe and Asia Ii rnay become a lane for air liners 
 The distance between Alaska and Spitztcrgen is q little greater than that between Ireland and NcWfound' lanJ, and though atmosphere is colo md there are possibilities Of pllz' saris and storms, these are no nlorI frequent than ill the North Atlantic on the whole. tho sky Is clearer there being no consistently foggs eather such as exists off Ncw!ound land. pedry and stefansson were o inc opinion that all things consider ad. Arctic weather possesses superior lying possibilities.
 One of the definite discoveries O Inv Wilkins expedition has been tha Hnl does not exist ill the uneN plorod region of the Arctic, owe which he flew under good weathc conditions, enabling definite obser SAI0nS. INfdFA dliI otiti . iie' bought an island continent might b located in this large area. Nilhin md his pilot wer" enabled 10 Nl"E ,normous ar Of this region iron their perch high in the skies an' SAW nothing but ice.
 Thy flight has been fruitful in tn accumulation Of scientific data an useful information that cannot hol being au advantage in the furtherin O. commercial aviation oyer the to of the world. \ shortcut route [ ibe far east is in prospect. Tho Nc pile eNprlition-the Italian dirigibl already being uBd,r way 'hroug F.urope-will be the ur.t 10 hray the Arctic route. Every air eApe1t ton into the Arctic seems 10 |
 more successful than its forerur