After averaging nearly 1,000 miles a day, an average that might have been ' somewhat higher had bad weather not intervened at the last moment, the China National Aviation Corporaiton's Douglas aeroplane, which loft here on Monday, Mar. 9, for Yunnanfu, arrived at the Lunghua aerodrome shortly after 430 pin. on Thursday, with some, 3400 miles marked up in the pilot's logbook.
En route, the huge passenger plane called at Hankow and Chengking, and her arrival here on Thursday brought to a successful conclusion one of the longest and fastest trips aviation In China has yet known, Normally, the plane is used on the Shanghai to Peiping service, but she left here on Monday with special investigating committee, heat ed by Mr, E, M, Allison, the eorporatHon's technical department manager, institute an enquiry into the have been hopelessly bogaed. After climbing over 6.500 foot mountains, It arrived at Hankow at 1020. am. somewhat ahead of schedule, and after being refueled, left at 1055
Although steamers have to travel some 300 miles from Hankow to reach Tehang. the air route is only about 175 miles, so that the plane arrived at Ichang in just over an hour. Leav-Ing at 12.15 pin, the Douglas entered the mountainous "country, looking Jdown, as the pilot termed it on Pri-day, at the gorges from an altitude of about 7,000 fect, Weather condi. Hons grew' worse. however, and the plane was forced to come down to about 2,000 fect to avoid the forma: tion of ice on the wings.
Shortly afterwards, the weather took a turn for the better, and the DE-2 arrived at Chungking at 2.15, Dam, and after refuelling, landed at Chengtu with fourteen' passengers at 330 pin.
A Special Service forced landing of the "Kunming," a Ford aeroplane belonging to the corporation, which came down near Pengyl when bad weather conditions prevailed. According to information received from the C.N.A.C. on Thursday, Mr. Allison and the Investigating committee will now ably stay in Yunnanfu for another six or seven days, so that, contrary to previous expectations, no report will be avallable for some time, The "Kunming," piloted by Mr. Bryan O'Hara, was bound from Kwel yang to Chengtu on Thursday of last week, with three passengers, when it ran into a storm.—Seoing that conditions ahead were Impossible, pilot turned back in an effort roach Kweiyang again, only to th almilar bad weather prevailing there well, He decided to make for Yunnanfu, but was forced to land at Pongyl, some 28 miles east of Kut-sing, nnd 36 miles this side of Yun-
The party of investigation set out for Yunnanfu on Monday, the Douglas arriving at their destination the following day, when they motored out to Pengyi and the work of investigation began, After remaining" short while, the plane set off on the return trip, and was actually expected back in Shanghai on Wednesday. Bad weather sot In to mar the record journey, however, and the plane was unable to reach Shanghai until yes terday, This, however, in no way detracts frum the splendid performance of doth man and machine, who together have combined to set up a record In Chinese elvit aviation " history Which will take a great deal of beating.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.