By Sohail Ansari
Karachi’s aerodrome has hosted many pioneering aviators and witnessed a number of historic flying records.
Amy Johnson was one of those pioneering English aviator and the first female pilot to fly alone from Britain to Australia.
Her solo journey from Britain to Australia had Karachi en-route. By the time she had reached Karachi on 10th May 1930 landing at 4.10 pm, she was front page news and became a celebrity.
The flight from Croydon took just six days (two days ahead of earlier record set by Hinkler) and she received a hero’s welcome. She stayed as a guest of Mr P. E. Percival, the Commissioner in Sindh at Government House.
Following is the news from 1930 when she was in Karachi.
TRIBUTE BY KARACHI MUNICIPALITY.
KARACHI, May 11, 1930.
Miss Johnson was garlanded and presented with a floral bouquet by the chief officer of the Karachi Municipality prior to her departure for Australia this morning. The Royal Air Force aeroplane and Wing Commander Crosbie, local agent of the De Havilland Company, in his Moth plane, escorted her for some distance towards Allahabad.
Good Old Karachi 