FLYING AT SOCKBURN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17986, 1 February 1924, Page 11

FLYING AT SOCKBURN.

FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS. YESTERDAY'S WORK. Although the refresher course for aeroplane pilots was due to commence yesterday, only four of the first- batch of officers had put in an appearance, so that proceedings v,-ill not bo 111 swing until this morning. Captain I'11. Isitt, who is in command of the aerodrome, decided to go on with the work, and accordingly the four officers —Captain M. C. McGregor, M.C., D.F.C., Captain A. C. TTpham. D.F.C., Lieutenant F. J. Horrell, and Lieutenant D. P. Inglis, D.C.M. —registered a good amount of actual flying time. •

All four are experienced pilots, and their few minutes' "dual control" wit" Captain Isitt was in some degree only a matter of form, yet a very necessary safety measure. However, it was noilong before all four were "tootling around'.' solo on Avros, each enjoying himself after hia own particular fashion. Landings were, of course, the popular pastime, for it is essential that a pilot should be as proficient as possible in this department. One never knows when one will be faced with a forced landing through engine trouble, so the necessity is obvious. One of the quartet, possibly with an eye to landing in small paddocks while on cross-coun-try flights, recovered no small measure of his old cunning iii landing in a small area, side-slipping off height rapidly, and turning into the wind at the last moment. Albeit he was not over-satis-fied with himself with his efforts. Similarly, in taking olf, a climbing turn off the ground and down wind is a good emergency stunt, but not to be commended generally. Another of the quartet, a first-cla3S scout pilot, was at home immediately, and had an Avro doing vertical turns with great abandon, swinging round on her wing tips. If those S.E. s's had been available, the man would have thoroughly enjoyed himself. The one conclusion arrived at was that really proficient pilots do not lose a very great deal of Hying ability, though how they would acquit themselves in landing a high-powered scout machine during the first hour or two it was being flown by them would bo possibly another matter. The Day's Routine. Plying commenced smartly to time at 6 a.m., the conditions being quite fair, there being a steady breeze from the south-west and a few clouds. Later a thick drizzle set in, and just when the "wash-out" signal was about to be given the sun broke through again, and two machines were soon .again m the air. After breakfast there was a continuation of the early morning work. Later and -until noon the pilots burnished up their knowledge of machineguns and wireless, not forgetting the working of the marvellous but simplo interrupter gear, the timing of which ensures that the bullets of the machineguns miss the blades of the rapidly-, revolving propeller. Visibility for the afternoon flying was not particularly good, and a light rain did not improve matters. However, some short cross-country flights in pairs were indulged in, preliminary to formation flying. It is to be regretted that tho very small number of engineers and riggers allowed by the authorities have prevented the placing of more machines on the serviceable lists, more particularly tho service busses, - tlxa Bristol Fighters, and tho D.H. 4's and D.H. 9's. As it is, only one Bristol and one D.H. 4 will be available for pilots this year, but at the next series .. of refresher courses an improvement can be expected. Really the staff has done well to have the very necessary number of Avros tuned up, the rotary engines of which require "taking down" after only a comparatively short period of flying time. Five more officers of the detachment reported during the day—Captain^H. P. S. Drewitt, M.C., A.F.C., Captain C. Musgrave, A_F.C., Lieutenant W. P. Park, Lieutenant A. E. -Mercer and Lieutenant G. Hood. Major-Genera! Sir E. W. Chaytorwill visit the aerodrome'to : morrow morning, and it is expected that he will breakfast with the pilots a.t their mess. Commercial Aviation. Although tho authorities at the Wigram aerodrome are at present concentrated on keeping proficient tho oflicers on the reserve list of the Air Force, commercial aviation is "not being completely overlooked. To-morrow afternoon an Avro will be flown to the Kaiapoi regatta, and_ will do short passenger trips there. Similarly crosscountry flights can be arranged at a fee which compares quite favourably with a motor service. Those people who become fascinated by the prospect of being a "lord of the air" be trained for a pilot's certificate, which, unless they are particularly "hamhanded," will cost only a small sum. Civilians in possession of a private aeroplane, on undertaking to sbrvo for three years in the New Zealand Air Force Reserve, will be trained free except for the sum sufficient to pay for petrol and oil expended during their training.