Aviation Historian Roger Codger
1928: Bert Hinkler
The Lone Eagle
Born in Bundaberg, Australia, Bert Hinkler was an inventive and courageous flyer. He started out building his own gliders, eventually gaining his pilot licence towards the end of World War 1 (1918). He went on to set some aviation records, and became a test pilot.
His most well known flight was from England to Australia, being the first person to make the flight to Australia solo.
Bert also was the first person to fly solo across the southern Atlantic ocean, when he flew from Canada to England in 1931.
Here is a map of his major flights...
(This map and heaps more about Bert can be found at www.hinklerresearch.org.au)
Bert Hinkler
- 1920: London to Turin (Italy)
(non-stop)
- 1921: Sydney to Bundaberg
- 1921-26: Test Pilot for AV Roe company, England
- 1928: England to Australia
15.5 days (first solo)
- 1931: South Atlantic (first solo)
- 1933: England to Australia incomplete
Berts's Avro 581 Avian aircraft, 1928
An amazing Aussie
aviator dubbed
"The Lone Eagle"
