The 1928 Flight of the Southern Cross

Continuing the fall/winter series on trans-continental and trans-oceanic contests and races in the 20s and 30s, Speakers Bureau member Barry Latter considers how two Australian pilots proved people could fly across the Pacific Ocean safely. It took almost a decade for Charles Kingsford-Smith and Charles Ulm to turn their vision into reality. Learning from their own and others’ experiences, the pair meticulously planned their Fokker Trimotor flight from San Francisco to Brisbane with stops in Hawaii and Fiji. To this day, mere mention of these pilots brings joy to Australians. Themes include use of technology and unique skills of the American crew.