New Britain herald., 1930-05-13
MERM0z LANDS IN
 SOUTH AMER|CAAT
 EARLY HOUR TODAY
Cabin Of Plane Fills With : Water When Aviator Flies Y. Through Atlantic Storm
MINISTER OF AIR CABLES
 FLYER CONGRATULATIONS

France Regains Long Distance Sea
 plane Record When Acc Travels
 3,2OO kilometers in 21 Hours, 10
 Minutes in Hop to Natal Near
 Northeastern Tip of south Ameri-
 can Continent.
 Rio Janeiro, May 13 tP'-Jean Mermoz, French aviator, and two companions landed at Natal. near the northeastern ftp of the South American continent at 6;I2 a. m. (4:12 a. m. F.. s. T) after trans atlantic flight from St. Louis, Sene- gal.
 The plane, Postal hHdro-air- plane, left Perplgnan, France May . for St. Louis. When departing at noon yesterday for Natal it picked up airmail which had been received Saturday night from Paris and brought it across the Atlantic. This lap Of the Europe South American airmail heretofore had been made in fast destroycrs.
 Cabin Flooded By Rain
 All was not easy flying for the plane. Once near the middle Of the journey the aNiators radioed that the cabin of their plane was nearly filled with rain which fell during a storm through which they had jus. passed,
 They crossed over Fernando Do Noronha. where there is a Brazilian penal colony, at 5:45 q. m.. G. NJ. T. tl2.45 a. m, l.. s. ID but needed nearly two hours and a half 10 ne gotiate the remaining 195 miles or more of their journey When pass ing Fernando Do Noronha they ra- dloed that they expected 10 arrive at Natal at 4:2o q. m, eastern Bra zlllan time, which would have been 2;2o a. m, F. $. T.
 This flight was the ninth made successfully across the South Allan tic The pioneers ovar the rourc were Captain Sacadura and Captain Coutinho, Portuguese flyers. who flew from Lisbon to Rio Janeiro bv way of the Canary Islands in 1922. The eighth trip was made last year by Major Tadeo Larre- -Borgeg. Crusuyan, and Lieutenant Leon Challe, French, who few from Sc vile, Spain, 10 San Antonio, north eastern Brazil
 At 5:f5 a. nL the ayIators radiocI that the sky was tWo-tenths cover ed that there vas d moderate soutn- easterly wind and rouyh sea. A. 2:50 a. m. G M. r. (9:5o D. m, E s. T, Monday) q radio message said that the plane had passed longitude 2S west. and all vas well.
 At this time the message added Tho Bentevi IS receiving our signals too strongly. We must be over her. The Bentevi is one of the Aero-Postal company's boats sta toned at St. Paul Islet, in Mid-At- lantic. From the reference it was I4ltI 41I tue plilt was nFdrDA.
 Cuts Straight south
 Leaving St Louis Senegal at II a, m. local time the plane cut straight southwest ward across the Atlantic following the shippin 2 lanes and the trail blazed by other south Atlantic fiers, toward Port Natal
 Its progress quickencd as some Of the planes gasoline load was con- sumed
 Aboard the plane with Mermol are; M D'Abry, uayIgd-or and ". Guimic. radio operator Soverat nlers already have flown the shor. southern course of l,70o miles from inc Atlantic African coast to tn. southeastern tip Of South America.
 French Wire Regards
 Paris May Is tPl-Laurcnt Eyu8@. French minister Of the air, toda5 cabled official congratulations 10 Jean Mermo2. French aviator, who landed this morning at Natal. Bra gil, after transatlantic flight from