Evening star., 1934-10-14

At Maldenhall Aerodrome, near
London, two score or more airplanes
will take the air next Saturday,
streaking off through the customary
cloud banks of the English Channel
on one of the greatest aerial adven-
lures of all time.
The England to- Australia interna-
tional air races will be on-an event
arranged as one of the features Of the
centennial celebration of the State of
Victoria, Australia. Sixty or more
daring men and women of the air will
take part in this competition-the
longest, most hazardous and probably
one of the most important races in
history.
This flight, a large portion of which
is daily flown with ease and safety
by the experienced airlines, offers un-
told difficulties for the newcomer. II
means night and day flying over prac-
tically every known type of terrain
mountains, plains, jungles and deserts.
1t means flying against doubtful
weather, with possibilities of hurri-
canes, sandstorms, electrical storms
and typhoons. 1t means fighting
through temperatures ranging from
freezing cold to torrid he :. 1t means
flying without the safeguards which
have nearly eliminated flying hazards
over commercial routes in both Europe
and America. There are no radio
beams for navigation on this course,
and the weather reports are meager
and perhaps untrustworthy.
This race will involve a grueling en-
durance test of the mind and body
for it may be completed in days.
and it must be finished within l6.
Pilots agree that it is worthy feat
for any ship to arrive in Australia
within a week after leaving England.
The fastest record that has ever beer
made was by Charles F. Ulm, in six
days, during October, 1888. and he
landed in Derby on Australia's west
coast, rather than at Melbourne. All
these dangers and hardships are a
part of the race, yet some 40 ships and
so or more men and women will en-
dure them.
Money Rewards Discounted.
For what? Prize money? Yes, prize
money that sounds like a great for
tune, for Sir Macpherson Robertson,
candy manufacturer of Melbourne,
has posted money totaling about
100000. Yes, there's a gold cup to
the winner and gold medals for every
pilot who arrives in Melbourne within
l6 days.
Perhaps it is for this seemingly gen.
erous reward that these flyers will
undergo some pretty severe battles
against time and the elements. Per-
haps. But when you come down to
the final analysis of costs versus re-
turns, it is more likely that they will
make the flight for little else but
glory-plus experience. And glory
doesn't buy any new Partisan en-
sembles, pay the rent or even meet a
dinner check. Experience is the
greatest asset flyer can have, but in
these days when there are twice as
many pilots as there are ships to be
flown, even experience cannot readily
be turned into cash. And flyers, as
OIlACI AAIOI Od4O, IluSI eat.
To be sure the winner, particularly
If she is girl, is likely to gain world
wide renoWn, adulation and some
commercial offers, possibly chances to
appear in talking pictures or vaude-
vile Gf that appeals to her). Then,
there may be advertising contracts,
and possibly some magazine articles
which should bring a moderate rev.
enue. But there have been few pilots,
either men or women-and the re-
turns from fame, with the exception
of Lindbergh, are greater for women
than for men-who have been able
to retire on their earnings from fame.
There is, for instance, Amy Mollin-
son, who suffered a regretable crash
on the Connecticut shores year ago,
after a plucky and danger -frought
flight from England with her husband,
]. A. MollinSon. Amy has flown the
England-to-Australia course before
She was the first and only woman to
fly it solo. In 1881 she was-and still
is-the first woman to fly solo to
Toxic and return over the great ST.
berisn waste and, If memory serves
correctly, she was given a royal greet
ing on her return to England, a ma
tional heroine. In 1882 she set rec
ord for both men and women from
London to Capetown, Africa, and re-
turn, and in 1888, with her husband,
was the first woman to fly the At
lantic from East to West.
Yet, what has Amy Mollinson won
from fame2 II the London newspapers