Fernando Rein Loring: Madrid-Manila / 1932-1933
«The tenacity of a calm pilot»
«With goodwill and good help, I arrive in Manila, no doubt» Motto written by Rein Loring on the map box of his airplane.
The Pilot and his Airplane
Fernando Rein Loring began as a military pilot before dedicating himself to photogrammetry. A character of adventure, he proposed repeating the Madrid-Manila raid solo along the entire route.
- He made the first raid in 1932, with a Comper Swift light aircraft (EC-W12), which, with weather and bureaucratic difficulties and recurring breakdowns, forced him to take nearly three months to reach his destination. His constancy and spirit of overcoming adversity earned him the prestigious Ramón Prize of 1932.
He wasn’t satisfied and, having found a lighter Comper Swift, he tried again the following year.
- The Comper, weighing barely 280 kg with a 40 CV engine, was modified to carry a 200-liter fuel tank. The low fuel consumption meant that with a maximum load of 200 liters, it had an autonomy of 1,600 Km.
The Second Flight and the Achievement
- In this second attempt, the pilot planned the journey in 11 stages and, in a perfect execution, flew 15,000 Km in 82 hours and 40 minutes between March 18th and April 10th, 1933.
- This feat of preparation, synchronization, and skill ensured that Rein Loring once again joined the ranks of the great airmen.
Flight Details: March 18th to April 10th, 1933 15,150 Km, in 11 stages