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Fig. 61 Gulf Of Aqaba

SECOND RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT TO AQABA

After the first Aqaba reconnaissance flight, the party was unanimous in its conviction (A) that no by-pass line for the Suez Canal could profitably be connected up with a Trans-Arabian pipe line unless political considerations precluded construction of a line across Tran-Jordan into Palestine or Lebanon, (B) that a route across the Sinai peninsula was feasible, and (C) that a route from Aqaba to El Arish was feasible, but a portion of it would be In Palestine.

No satisfactory all-Palestinian route from Aqaba to Gaza or to any other port had been found, but it was not certain that one did not exist. Also, there was no definite evidence to indicate that line from Aqaba to El Arish would necessarily have to traverse Palestinian territory, all that could be said was that the road did. Arrangements were already underway for some ground reconnaissance, but this, at the best, would be delayed for a few days. Accordingly, as long as the plane was available, it was decided to make a second flight to Aqaba to see whether an all-Egyptian route from the Gulf of El Arish could not be found and whether there was not some feasible all Palestinian route. At the same time it was intended to fly over the Suez-Fuad route, and if time was available, to go to Alexandria also. The party, consisting of Bramkamp, Chandler, and Johnson left Payne Field at 11:00 A.M. on May 21 and flew virtually a straight line to Aqaba, where a wide loop of the western shore was made in order to see whether some suitable pass through the cliffs could not be found in Egyptian territory. It is estimated that country was covered for a distance of at least 50 kilometers. No suitable pass the cliffs was found. The canyons all appeared to dead-end in vertical cliffs. An all-Egyptian pipe line in this area might not be imposible, but it would apparently involve a more or less a vertical section that would be hung dovn a sheer cliff.

A number of photographs were taken, those shown in numbers 51, 60, and 61 being typical.