Adrienne Bolland flew over Andes 100 years ago

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End of this week, a particular event will be celebrated, from the glory hours of aviation, that occurred 100 years ago on April 1st, 1921

Adrienne Bolland, a French woman pilot, was the first flyer to cross the Andes between Argentina and Chile, aboard a Fragile Caudron G3, riding up to 14,000 ft, from Mendoza (Argentina) to Santiago (Chile), just in the middle of Andes mountain chain

A Caudron G3:

A complete history of Adrienne and her trip is available on Wikipedia: Adrienne Bolland - Wikipedia

A broadcast report on French TV last sunday, relating her story and trip over the Andes is available here: Il y a 100 ans, la Française Adrienne Bolland réalisait l'un des plus beaux exploits de l'histoire de l'aviation | TF1 INFO
Although in French, you can still watch this report and see how this old Caudron G3 is flown and behaves, imagine it over high ridges at 14,000 ft :fearful: :scream:

Interested, I reproduced the flight plan she flew for this trip between Mendoza and Santiago
Apart from the incredible danger and thrill she faced during her flight, I was amazed by the beauty of the landscapes there, lots of beautiful mountains, colors, shapes, reliefs, valleys,…

Flight plan: Mendoza-Santiago VFR Adrienne Bolland.PLN (3.6 KB)

This about 2:00 flight (on a light A/C) can be flown low altitude in Bush, the plan gives the macro directions, and then you mostly follow rivers, canyons, valleys, with a particular high ridge to cross between Argentina and Chile (at WPT06) up to 14,000 ft

I flew the GotGravel Carbon Savage mod, but possible and more challenging to fly a Cub or C152. At least, you will have to climb up to 14,000ft, so use a capable A/C

Enjoy this amazing trip and historical aviation record back in 1921!

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Phenomenal

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That’s very cool, thanks for the knowledge and flight plan!

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What sort of frame rates did he get?

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Don’t you need o2 or pressurization at 14,000 feet?

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Awesome, thanks for sharing!

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14,000 feet is 4267 meters, this is high but you can still breathe without added oxygen, although it gets scarce at that altitude

As a comparison, the Mont Blanc mountain in France (highest peak in Europe) is at 4809 meters so about 15,800 ft

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Probably very high heart beating rate due to adrenalin! :scream: :smile:

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I often fly in the Swiss mountains at 12’000 - 13’500ft without oxygen. It’s ok, but you shouldn’t stay there for hours. I believe the legal limit (at least in Europe) without oxygen is max 30min above 12’500ft and not above 14’000. Also, I’m extra careful when carrying “older” and unexperienced passengers and with high outside temps. Besides the impact on aerodynamics and engine performance the higher density altitude impacts the breathing performance.

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Actually yes, at altitudes of 12,000 ft Oxygen will be necessary

At the time Adrienne did her legendary flight in 1921, Oxygen was probably not available in Aviation yet, so she probably just referred to her environment perception and did not add this to her checklist

The route she followed, that I have reproduced in the flight plan here, is mostly composed of paths following rivers in valleys at less than 11,000 ft.
Only a very small portion of the flight requires to fly over 14,000 ft for a short time, and then you fall again in valleys at less than 10,000 ft.
So also feasible without Oxygen, according to nowadays rules

Probably this may have been a key point for her success, going mostly West direction, and managing to stay most of the time in the valleys maze, beneath the surrounding peaks and high ridges, at less than 11,000 ft for most of her flight

Clearly audacious and intelligent, as she had no map to follow at that time

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Very cool info, thanks!

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The oxygen laws in the USA are the same as yours in Europe, above 12,500 feet you need it if you will be up there for more than 30 minutes, and above 14K you always need it (without pressurization ofc).

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I flew this yesterday and enjoyed it very much. No mountain rocks were disturbed.