ADDITIONAL PILOT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 70, 4 January 1936, Page 2

ADDITIONAL PILOT

COOK STRAIT AIRWAYS. ' I MR R. MATHESON TO JOIN THE COMPANY. (Per Press Association.) NELSON, January 3. Although they have only been operating since Monday last, Cook Strait Airways state that the indications are that they will he called on to use their aeroplanes for a far greater number of hours than bad been scheduled, and for this reason they have engaged a relief pilot who will assist the present pilots, Messrs Bolt and Orchard. The company has selected Mr R. Matheson, one of the few pilots in New Zealand licensed to fly all types of machines. Mr Matheson has more than 2000 flying hours to his credit, and has flown more than 30 types of aircraft, including singjld and multi-engined aeroplanes, light aeroplanes, autogiros, and German soaring craft. Mr Matheson learnt to fly in the Canterbury Aviation Company’s flying school in 1918. He had a short-service commission in the Royal Air Force and since then has been exclusively engaged in commercial aviation, in New Zealand. Cook Strait Airways ’planes have been running four days, giving two trips each way between Nelson and Wellington, 'two trips each way between Blenheim and Wellington, and one each way between Blenheim and Nelson. Practically all the trips have been fully booked, and forward bookings are very heavy. The ’planes have maintained their time-tables to the minute. The company uses one pilot for the morning services and the other for the afternoon trip for a week, then reversing the order of the pilots’ working hours. The additional pilot will be available for the company’s West Coast service when it is started. Altogether the service has been a great success in eveiy way. Mr Matheson returned from England where he had a short-service commission in the Royal Air Force, several years ago. While he was in the Ail Force he served in Iraq for some time, and while stationed in England did a great deal of flying in twin-engined bombers. After his commission expired he went to Germany and at the sailplane school at the Wasserkuppe where he spent two terms, he gained the highest certificates. On one occasion he flew a sailplane for more than an hour. On liis return to New Zealand he ivas employed for some time flying the first autogiro brought to this conntry. Later he was flying on the Vest Coast, where ho taught many people to fly.