Transport: Ingalls Across

As it is of most women pilots, the prime ambition of testy little Laura Ingalls is to outdo the famed exploits of tousle-headed Amelia Earhart Putnam. Since last April Miss Ingalls, trying extra hard, has concentrated on the long-standing Earhart non-stop record across the U. S. from West to East. Her first attempt fizzled in Colorado, her next in Indiana. Disgruntled, she tried her hand at non-stop flying from East to West, was the first woman to succeed at it (TIME, July 22). Last week, she was again ready to tackle the West-East flight.

In a dim Los Angeles dawn, she climbed into her black & silver Lockheed Orion, lumbered into the air, sped to New York in 13 hr., 34 min., 5 sec. Mrs. Putnam’s non-stop record, made in 1932, went down by 5 hr., 29 min. Miss Ingalls probably would have beaten the men’s non-stop record of 13 hr., 27 min.† if her radio compass had not broken down near Columbus.

Elated, Miss Ingalls hustled off to bed, while Mrs. Putnam’s technical adviser explained: “Miss Earhart’s mark had remained so long she was anxious to have it supplanted by a much better record.”

†Speed record for men, made by Roscoe Turner with four stops for refueling, is 10 hr., 2 min., 51 sec.