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Flight Trivia

In late August 1924, the planet MARS was closer to Earth than it would be for a hundred years. That lent exciting credence to our Page one story:

Mysterious signals picked up at Point Grey wireless station during the past few weeks culminating this morning in a recognized group of sounds which led the operator to believe that Mars has succeeded in establishing communication with the Earth.
Four distinct groups of four dashes came in over the ether at 7:12 a.m., when Mr. W.T. Bulford was on duty. These dashes were not in any known code but started on a low note gradually ascending and concluding with a "zipp." The signals were not sent by spark nor continous wave and the theory that Mars has at last managed to "get through" is gaining support.

Reprinted from the Province;

    December 4, 1953; " A heavily-loaded Canadian Pacific Airlines airliner touched down at Vancouver International Airport at 12:42 a.m. today to become the first plane in the world to fly non-stop from Tokyo to Vancouver. The big DC-6B also set a possible second world aviation record in completing what CPA officials believe in the longest commercial airlines passenger flight in history."

    The 4,800 mile (7,723 kilometer) flight with captain James Black of West Vancouver at the controls was completed in 13 hours and 51 minutes flying time. Today the same flight takes eight hours and 25 minutes.

Do you have some interesting trivia? Let me know.

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