Penedos, done during 18th April 1922, with Gago Coutinho, in his simple words:
“[…] After 11h and 21 minutes of flight, the gas was running out.
The Penedo – a few rocks not very high – can only be seen very close, from the 300 meters high we were flying.
However, as we were alighting next to the small boats that the “República” had in the water – agitated by “wide swell”, the “Lusitânia” plane lost one of the floats, which fell apart because it was made of rotted wood.
This surprised us because, after the 1600 Km of flight without support, burned our 700 Kg of gasoline, the plane was going light.
It was not even possible to save the faithful engine [Roll-Royce Eagle VIII], which had brought us to those insignificant stones!
They were already Brazilian land, though uninhabitable.
The Portuguese priority had been repeated, four and a half centuries after our Caravelas had crossed the equator.
And we carried painted on our wings the same “Red Cross of Christ” with which our “Caravelistas” devastated – as Camões sang – “those seas” and “the new Ares that the generous [Prince] D. Enrique [the Navigator] discovered.
On the other hand, those who were waiting for us on board the Cruzador República in Penedo, hovering, informed by radio about our departure from Cape Verde, had lived all that day in a state of ignorance : what was happening on board the plane?
Until in the evening, as they sighted us in the sky, to the north, they had an extraordinary commotion of surprise and pleasure.
Simple geographers had demonstrated to the world the possibility of crossing the Air, with the same security and autonomy with which the ships did. “
Unfortunately, Lusitania got lost in the alighting, due to the waves. But the journey is not over.
The enthusiastic support of the Portuguese, Brazilians and Cape Verdeans allowed the trip to proceed: funds and support were found for the continuation of the trip.
The big newspapers carried out fund-raising campaigns, for the continuation of this wonderful adventure that united brother separated by a South Atlantic.
The description of the crossing will continue until June 17, the date of arrival in Rio de Janeiro. – Join us and enjoy! JMF