Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-11
Tiny Plane Used in Flight.

Another dangerous aviation feat mas
begun with the departure OF Capt. VIII
liam N. Lancaster on a pioneering
flight by which he hopes to complete
the Caribbean circle, an exploit attempt
ed before by others, but ending always
in mishap.
Capt. Lancaster is essaying this diff
cult undertaking alone in a little vest
pocket land plane, an Avro Avian, whose
gasoline capacity is only SO gallons. and
which is so small that 1t can easily be
housed in any bungalow garage:
Therein lies the chief peril of the
flight. for if Capt. Lancaster should
miss by ever so slight margin some
of the pin-point islands which have
been cl1arted as stopping points on
his cruise, down he would come into
the Caribbean, out of gasoline and help
lass. save for his liferaft.
The SO gallons of gas will keep Capt.
Lancaster's little plane aloft eight hours,
unless weather conditions are adverse.
Some of the water jumps to be made are
for distances of 400 to $50 miles.
Capt. Lancaster, who, with Mrs. Keith
Miller, made the famous flight from
England to Australia in 1923, also In
tiny Avro Avian. started his present
adventure from New York Saturday,
March Q. He flew to Miami by easy
stages and through heavy transforms,
stopping at Norfolk. Charleston and
Jacksonville. He arrived in Miami the
Tuesday following his departure from
New York, and the next day jumped
over to Havana. He flew from there
to Camaguey, Cuba, whence he hoped
across the long stretch of blue Carib-
bean to Porto Rico.
Many Flights Over Water.
From Porto Rico there is an all-water
fight of 1888 miles to Guadeloupe, which
Is just a dot in broad eXpanSe of
ocean. It is an island only % miles
across.
"And If I miss It," laughed Capt
Lancaster, "I'll get both very hungry
and very wet"
The next jump will take the plane
sailing over Martinique to Port au Spain,
Trinidad. 400 miles across an empty
sea; thence $50 miles, mostly over water,
to Georgetown, British Guiana.
Capt. Lancaster then will skirt the
coast for 400 miles to Caracas, Vene-
zuela. His next stop viii be Maracaibo,
Colombia, after another 400-rnile coast
flight. From there the Avro Avian will
dart $50 miles over water to Barran-
quilla, Colombia, and then comes an
other water Jump, $50 miles, to Colon,
Panama.
From Colon the plane will take off
for San Jose, Costa Rica, 500 miles
away, half of this distance over water.
nagua, Nicaragua; next $50 miles, part
that a hazardous 400-mile flight over
the mountains to Mexico City.
During this pause in Mexico City,
Capt. Lancaster expects to be presented
to Ambassador Morrow, and to meet Of
ficials Of the Mexican government
From Mexico City the course charted
by Capt. Lancaster will take him to
Vera Cruz, Brownsville. Tex: Galveston
New Orleans, Mobile, Tampa and
Miami. The distance covered If the
Caribbean circle is completed will ap-
proximate 1000 miles. Capt. Lancaster
hopes to finish the journey in % days
He will fly only In the daytime.
Gold Medal Is Prize.
One object Of the undertaking is to
demonstrate the practicability of the
light plane for long-distance flying
The Central Union Trust Co. of New
York has offered a gold medal for the
first flyer to complete the Caribbean
circle.
The Avro Avian is plane of British
manufacture, equipped with 95-horse.
power American Cirrus engine. Thu
little ship has folding wings with 6
spread of only "a feet. The cruising
speed Is 80 miles an hour; the tor
speed los miles. The plane weighs onl,
900 pounds.
Capt. Lancaster, an alert. squared,
built Englishman of 81, has had a dis.
| tinguished flying career. He got int
flying during the war, after brief toul