FLIVVER CROSSES ENGLISH CHANNEL TWICE ON GALLON OF GAS
Paris (JFK+50) On May 6, 1923, the Sunday Star reports that yesterday afternoon Georges Barbot, "exponent of the 'flivver' air vehicle*," climbed to an altitude of 2000 yards in flying across the English Channel and returning successfully to base.
In one hour of flight, the flivver used less than a gallon of fuel. The goal of the flight was to reach the coast of England, but that was not possible because of heavy fog and no accompanying hydro-planes.
Mr. Barbot will try again tomorrow.
*Air Flivver, a tiny monoplane weighing 400 pounds less the pilot having a thick wing near the body tapering to knife thickness at the outer edges. Top speed 70 mph.
SOURCES
"'Flivver' Airplane Flies Hour at Sea On Gallon Gas," The Sunday Star, Washington, D.C., May 6, 1923, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
"French Flivver, Time Magazine, June 11, 1923, Vanderbilt Cup Races, March 16, 2015, www.vanderbiltcupreaces.com/
