"ON THE SPOT."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 60, 12 March 1938, Page 18

"ON THE SPOT."

YOUNG RJV.F. PILOT. COMMENT AT INQUEST. "UNNECESSARY RISKS" TAKER (Special.—Bt Air Mall.) LONDON, February 18. < "Unnecessary" risks run by young R.A.F. officers were referred to by the coroner, Mr. L. F. Beecle, at an inquest at Epping, Essex, on a pilot who was killed in a mid-air collision near North Weald aerodrome. Returning a verdict of accidental death on Pilot-Officer Philip Ralph Austin-Sparks, 21, of the 65th Fighting Squadron. Hornchurch, the jury said they thought unnecessary risk was a oontritutorv factor to the accident.

Pilot-Sergeant Current, who was on the ground, said three machines were doing rapid manoeuvres round a fourth. The speed was not excessive, but they all seemed to be making one machine the object of their manoeuvres. Mr. Beccle: Putting him "on the epot," to use a vulgar expression?— Yes. Acting-Flight-Lieutenant John M. Thompson stated that while flying solo lie saw three 'planes in formation 100 ft above him. One started to follow him, and he circled to get away. He thought it was rather dangerous, as other machines might have been making circuits of the aerodrome. He added that he saw an aeroplane wing falling to the ground. Looking down he saw two machines which had been above him spinning to the ground. 220 Hours' Flying. Pilot-Officer Adrian Boyd, pilot of one of the three machines, said that he received an order to break the formation. Having seen another machine about he got out of a cloud as quickly as he could. He then saw the other aircraft and went along to see who it was.

Flight-Lieutenant Desmond Cook, commanding officer Goth Squadron, was asked if he thought that 220 hours' flying experience which Boyd was stated to have had -«Fas sufficient to have °r>t over any boyish exuberance. ° He replied: I cannot say. To the jury Mr. Beccicle said: Mv general impression is that there is a question of culpable negligence arising. "It seems that this young man's life was lost as a result of a somewhat foolish and reckless exhibition of vouthful exuberance on the part of " other members in that flight. "This case may curb any tendency on the part of young pilots "to risk their lives and machines in an unnecessarv manner."

In heraldry a wvvern is a dragon-like monster with a beaked head, two le<r S with clawe, and a tail which is sometimes coiled in a knot. Early examples show wings.