The Long Distance Aviator

Alan Cobham and Lucien Sharpe at Athens, Greece during a long distance flightAlan Cobham started to fly long distance journeys for the de Havilland Hire Service.

Based at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware, London, Cobham flew passengers to destinations in Great Britain, Europe and North Africa.

In August 1921, a wealthy American, Lucian Sharpe, chartered an aeroplane to fly him around Europe with Alan Cobham as his pilot.

This extraordinary flight and others like it showed Cobham the future possibilities for long distance civil aviation.