Evening star., 1933-04-05
BY E. C. SHEPHERD.

BY wireless TO the Star.
PURNEA, India. April N.A.N.A)-
The successful flight over Mount Ever
est was followed yesterday by a flight
by both planes over Mount Kanchan-
janga, only less successful photograph
ically because q later start was made
and clouds had begun to form over the
mountains.
The pilots were Air Commodore P F.
M. Fellowes, leader of the Houston
Everest expedition, and Flying Officer
Ellison, with A. L. Fisher and S. r.
Bonnett, cinematographers of the ex-
petition as observers.
Some anxiety was caused here by the
failure of Commodore Fellowes to re-
turn at the end of the flight. The ma
chimes became separated over the noun
tain and Flying Officer Ellison could
not rediscover the other plane. so when
Bonnet had finished with his photog-
raphy the pilot made home alone.
For three hours there was no word
from Commodore Fellowes. 1t was as
due to lack of petrol. A Moth plane
stood by with the Marques of Clydes-
dale, squadron leader Of the Everest
expedition, ready to take out fuel or one
of the special mechanics when the need
should become known.
At last a telegram announced that
Commodore Fellowes had landed at Di-
najpur, 60 miles east of here, and asked
for petrol.
Lord CIydesdale, in the Moth loaded
with picketS and covers (for sleeping
out in the open), started out with less
than two hours of daylight remaining,
realizing that Commodore Fellowes in
the Houston -Westland plane must re-
main at Dinajpur all night.
Run Into Bumps.
The story of how the separation Of
the two machines occurred gives a
striking impression of flying conditions
at high attitudes. Flying Officer Eli
son had arranged to keep station on
the port side and just aft of Commo-
dore Fellowes' machine and maintained
that position throughout the climb
until the edge of the crest was ap-
preached on the west side, at the
height Of $4,000 feet. There he met q
series Of violent bumps due to the de-
Election of the west wind up the face
of Kanchenjunga.
An accurate estimate of the extent
Of the bumps is unavailable, but Bon
nett, who was standing in the cockpit,
was lifted right of his feet and dropped
again with some force.
The net result of the upward and
downward currents was notable loss
of height, so that Ellison, concluding
that he had insufficient height to clear
the summit. turned away to climb
afresh. AS he turned he saw Fellowes
disappearing over the edge, apparently
making a straight course toward the
northern side. Instead of climbing i'm
mediately, Ellison headed for a point
at the farther side of the mountain,
where he estimated he could rejoin the
Houston-Westland plane.
Ellison found Fellowes where he ex-
pected and came up from ahead and
below, unseen by the commodore. He
was about to resume his station when
Commodore Fellowes began to turn to
port. Ellison, fearing a collision, also
turned left, steeply banking his ma
chine. In the thin air, the steep bank
caused his plane to make a sideslip
much in excess Of normal slip when
turning at an altitude, and in a few
moments had dropped nearly 1000 feet,
leaving Fellowes high above and OBJ
scured from Ellison by the upper wing
of the plane.
When he again recovered climbing
altitude, Ellison turned right and left,
queSting for Fellowes fruitlessly and
finally decided to make his own recon-
naissance of the mountain and return
alone.
Heavy Clouds.
At this time there was much cloud
below the machines, some lying Just
above the crest of Kanchenjunga and
most to the east. Ellison avoided en-
tering the clouds and, therefore, did not
touch the eastern face. The homeward
trip lay some distance above the lower
clouds until an easier descent could be
made through the dust haze, which was
only 1000 feet deep yesterday.
The wind strength at $4,000 feet had
been recorded at about 40 miles an
hour, but probably exceeded that later
in the morning. Making allowance for
the westerly wind of only 40 miles an
hour, Commodore Fellowes doubtless
drifted somewhat to the east. Coming
down to pick up the landmarks at
South Darjeeling, he evidently found
took it for the line to Darjeeling.
The Darjeeling Railway passes Pur-
nea at a distance of about 20 miles.
At an appropriate point he probably
turned west and finding the Dinajpur
landing ground realized his distance
Being short of petrol, he landed.
The full facts of the divergence will
not be known until Commodore Fell
loves returns here today The flight
was intended particularly to test the
Photographic apparatus after the pre-
vious days failure and to be in readi-
ness for a second attempt at an air sur
vey Of the southern face of Everest
when permission arrives from Nepal.
The weather continues favorable and,
II permission has arrived, today might
be suitable for the second Everest
flight. The comparatively calm spell
is not expected to extend beyond to-
day, according to the law of weather
averages, and the party may have to
wait again for high winds to subside
(Copyrieht, 1893. by North American News
paper Alliance. Inc)