FUTURE OF FLYING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 184, 7 August 1933, Page 8

FUTURE OF FLYING.

DOMINION CONDITIONS

AVIATION IN DEFEf'CE.

address to rotarians.

"Everyone in Auckland should have a look at the city from the air." This was the keynote of the lunch day talk at the Auckland Rotary to-day, when Mr. E. R. Boucher discussed aviation. . ~ Introducing the speaker as one of the best amateur pilots m :New Zealand, an«t as one who had taken a cons'derablc pai t in the commercial development ofa a tion, the chairman, Rotarmn L lajlo.. related his own experience m a flight. On that occasion, he said, it was a 3 le y *' hi Auckland, but when they got 2ooof up they were in perfect sunshine whic continued while they rose to IOOOft. Horn the higher levels they looked down on a huge sea of clouds upon which the 'plane was clearly silhouetted. _ Mr. Boucher described the principles underlying the control of aeroplaims and illustrated his remarks by the us Sf t Xlcl pl»«. Mo«t of the .cadcnt, which had occurred, he said had lieen due to young pilots seeking to ma turns while at' too low an elevation. Provided the rules devised by the avia tion authorities were obserNcd, there was no danger in flying. Kehab c ifor mation concerning weather eonditw s could be obtained, and if a pilot, in the face of such advice, ran into a fOo.be had only himself to blame for taki g deliberate risks. The youth of to-day was the flyer o to-morrow, and as there were about a dozen model aeroplane clubs in Auckland it would bo seen that there would be no lack of aviation in the future. . Differences in individual charactenstics and ability were very striking, and what was safe for one pilot might not bo safe for another whose mental reactions were slower. The real pilot was not the "stunt" man, but the capable, clear thinker who set out for his destination and got there, possibly in comparatively slow time, but taking no risks on the journey. ■ Those who took up flying in the Royal Air Force were in an entirely different category. The taking of risks deliberately followed cut, and bets would be taken as to who could glance nearest to the ground with the wings, lhe most dangerous periods in a flyer s experience were at the 100 hours' stage and the next when ho had flown for 500 hours. At the longer period the pilot was inclined to treat the task with contempt. Aviation could never bo treated with contempt. Sound judgment was always needed. Flying in clouds was to be avoided, for the pilot was in a complete blank there, with nothing to tell him whether he was right side or wrong side up. Navigation in New Zealand was a very simple business. With an ordinary motoring road 'book as a guide the whole of the coast line was opened up, provided there was good visibility. Commercial aviation, said Mr. Boucher, must be developed in New Zealand. As an instance, Auckland to New Plymouth provided an easy route for an hour and a half's trip, and such a service would be demanded. Regular services were already operating in Australia. Looking at the defence aspect the speaker mentioned that the Ave aero clubs, with an aggregate capital of £02,000, could be of great service to the Government. The aeroplane, he said, would act as a periscope for the army and naval forccs. The existence of such a force would be a deterrent to possible invaders, who would know that their movements would be made known to the other forccs by the air scouts.