9,000 Miles in a Moth

December 3, 2015 - As far as we know, no woman has flown a Moth from England to Australia since Amy Johnson’s epic flight in 1930, but this is set to change. In December, Capt. Amanda Harrison will lift off from Duxford Imperial War Museum in Cambridgeshire, England, and fly to Darwin, Australia 9,735 miles away. On board her Tiger Moth biplane she will be using a Trig transponder and radio – Trig Avionics is a sponsor of Harrison’s flight, and has provided this equipment to support her attempt.

Harrison said, “Flying an iconic British aircraft like the de Havilland Tiger Moth, I’m pleased to have installed British avionics too. I really like the quality of my Trig Mode S transponder and VHF radio; their simplicity of operation makes communication and accessing airspace easy from inside a tight and cold cockpit.”

This equipment is one of the few concessions Amy Johnson did not have the advantage of in her Tiger Moth. “Amy Johnson remains my inspiration; as a female pilot I want to inspire others to fly,” Harrison said. Aviation has genuinely transformed my life. It forces you to face your fears and conquer them in such a positive way.”

While long-haul flight to Australia is an everyday reality, flying in a single engine 73-year-old aircraft is a unique challenge. “Whilst I’ve been planning this for years I can’t avoid going over inhospitable terrain, long sea crossings, and high mountain ranges,” Harrison said. She will make the trip in 25 stages, maintaining and servicing her Gipsy Major engine alone. “I expect to face many practical issues but, like Amy, I’m determined to make it to Darwin,” she said.

Harrison brings to this challenge a broad aviation expertise – she’s an author and one of only a small number of female commercial Tiger Moth pilots in the world today. She’s successfully competed in U.K. distance and speed records and won the 75th Schneider Trophy Women’s Race. Find out more details at www.amandajharrison.com.