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1928: Bert Hinkler

Posted By Roger Codger on Apr 26, 2011 |

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.

bert hinkler's avro 581 avian aircraft

Berts’s Avro 581 Avian aircraft, 1928

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

Here is a map of his major flights…

hinkler's flights map
(This map and lots more about Bert can be found at www.hinklerresearch.org.au)

References

Bert Hinkler (Wikipedia)
Hinkler Memorial Museum
Bert Hinkler (Monash Uni)
YouTube
Hinkler Hall of Aviation
Hinkler (Airways Museum)

Author: Roger Codger

Roger has plenty of stories to tell about the aviators of years gone by, and the golden age of aviation when anything was possible. We love hearing him talk about the heroes of the past, some famous and others not so -- courageous pioneers who made aviation what it is today.