▁he ▁installed ▁new ▁engines ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁Pacific ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁co - p il ot ▁Charles ▁Ul m , ▁navig ator ▁Harry ▁Lyon ▁and ▁radio ▁operator ▁Jim ▁Warner . ▁On ▁May ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁they ▁depart ed ▁from ▁Oak land , ▁California , ▁and ▁fle w ▁to ▁E agle ▁Farm ▁Airport ▁in ▁Br is b ane ▁via ▁Su va ▁and ▁Hawai i . ▁The ▁distance ▁was ▁ 1 1 , 5 8 5 ▁kilom eters ▁and ▁the ▁flight ▁time ▁was ▁ 8 3 ▁hours ▁and ▁ 5 0 ▁minutes . ▁They ▁were ▁caught ▁in ▁aust ere ▁storm s ▁on ▁the ▁way , ▁those ▁increasing ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁flying ▁and ▁navigation ▁over ▁ocean . ▁The ▁crew ▁had ▁to ▁write ▁down ▁course ▁directions ▁and ▁information ▁in ▁these ▁situations . ▁Besides , ▁Smith ▁and ▁the ▁" S ou thern ▁Cross " ▁completed ▁some ▁important ▁fl ights ▁after ▁crossing ▁the ▁Pacific . ▁They ▁fle w ▁over ▁the ▁Australian ▁Cont inent ▁ce as eless ly ▁and ▁first ▁crossed ▁Tas man ▁after ▁crossing ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁east - west . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁historic ▁flight , ▁Bert ▁made ▁the ▁film ▁to ▁record ▁it . ▁The ▁silent ▁film ▁covered ▁four ▁ca ptions , ▁these ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁clarify ▁what ▁was ▁going ▁to ▁happen ▁next ▁on ▁screen . ▁It ▁started ▁from ▁a ▁sub title ▁" Ex c ited ▁crow ds ▁await ▁the ▁‘ S ou thern ▁Cross ’ ▁at ▁Br is b ane ", ▁then ▁introduced ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁the