THE CANTERBURY AERO CLUB'S PAGEANT THE TRIUMPH OF THE MOTOR

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19853, 14 February 1930, Page 18

THE CANTERBURY AERO CLUB'S PAGEANT THE TRIUMPH OF THE MOTOR

FIRST FLIGHT IN CANTERBURY. SCOTLAND'S JOURNEY FROM TIMARU TO CHRISTCHURCH. With the Canterbury Aero Club about to stage its first pageant the report of the first flight made in Canterbury but 15 years ago has added interest. The aviator was Mr J. W. H. Scotland, and the trip was made from Timaru to Christehurch on March Gth, 1914. It occupied from 8.30 a.m.

to 5 p.m., but the actual flying time was approximately two hours. The Press account of this achievement —the longest flight made in the Dominion up to that time —stated: "Many peoplo were very sceptical before tho start of the flight, and considerable surprise was expressed at the start at the capable and successful way the New Zealand aviator handled the big, curious looking aeroplane. A resident of Waimate was so keen for a ride in the airship that he offered Mr Scotland £SO to take him in his biplane from Timaru to Christchurch. Mr Scotland had to refuse the request as his machine had no provision for carrying passengers. . . . "He made an early start (6.30 a.m.) with his preparations, and hundreds of people assembled at the Athletic grounds and watched with keen interest. Mr Scotland did not set off at once for Christchurch, but decided to take a preliminary flight about the town to see that everything was in good order. The biplane gave no trouble in starting, but wont up into the air easily and gracefully to the accompaniment of cheers. After circling the town tho airman found

that some littlo adjustments were necessary, so he landed in Mr J. Shaw's paddock at the back . of the Athletic grounds. A start was made for C'hristchurch at 8.30 a.m. when the aviator rose in the air and 'flew' oti with apparent ease. . "When passing over Teniuka he dropped a parcel for . Mr Andrews at a height of 2500 feet. About thjs time conditions were becoming very bumpy, the aeroplane being lifted up and dropped about in an uncomfortable fashion. After rising to a height of about 4000 to 5000 feet Mr Scotland volplaned down to land in Mr Bell's paddock at Orari. because of a little engine trouble due to over-lubrication. For the last 300 feet the propeller stopped, which made the landing all the more creditable. A mechanic was wired for from Timaru, and he came by motor-car, and the machine was ready for the journey again at 3.20 p.m. "Very bumpy conditions were encountered soon after the restart, and after a height of 6000 feet had been reached near Ashburton, Mr Scotland came to a lower level of 1000 feet, and enjoyed more equable conditions. The gusts on the high levels were very disconcerting, and had the machine tested to its utmost several times. 'lf it had not been for the extreme stability of my machine,' said Mr Scotland, 'I would have come to grief several-times. The hills seemed to form funnels and produce very heavy gusts, which subjected the machine to very severe tests.' At one time, indeed, the {iviator thought of landing, but came right on. "As Mr Scotland followed the railway line, he necessarily passed a number of trains. The first express left Tiat 1-30 p.m., and Mr Scotland left

Orari, 20 miles north of Timaru, at 3,20 p.m., yet at Bankside, 32 miles < ° u Christehurch. the aviator sal^ onnn the express at a height of a ou feet, and landed at Christehurch fully five minutes before the express arriv . Mr Scotland, interviewed stated? "The journey has been a very trying one. The air was bumpy all. the J, especially at the higher altitudes. . seemed to be striking into a head win , and was continually pushing Wn rrv,;„ lever to keep the aeroplane down, ihis tired my whole arm, and taxed my wrist very much. I am very glad it over.'' Mr Scotland was described as a small but wiry young man, with a keen, sharp face. When he landed, his eyes were very red with the exposure to the wind. The air in the earlier part of the jour-

riey was extremely cold, and when he landed at Orari he was almost frozen. "The upstaring crowd at the Addington Show Grounds vented its enthusiasm in handclaps and cheers as the birdman continued gracefully over the grounds at a height of some 500 feet, and then turned half a mile away and circled magnificently and steadily dropping all the time to a lower level. Bound Scotland came until he pointed to the hills, and cracked away in that direction at a height of 200 feet. Going some distance down over Addington he turned to the right, and headed back for the grounds, coming lower and lower. Above the entrance to the grounds he seemed to be about 80 feet up, and the question was could he drop in the distance? He dipped, cut off, and hovered. But no. It was too sudden. The engine roared again, and the ■ biplane soared up again. Running nearly half a mile to tne north of the grounds, Scotland then turned and came slowly back, dipping and dipping-as he came. Just on the grounds side of the railway line he cut off the engine—gave her another turn—cut off again—dipped, and glided, and made the ground as neatly as a motor drawing up at a kerb. It was a beautiful landing, and a cheer burst from the crowd. The flight had been accomplished."

USE CORRECT PLUGS. When the engine is not at its best it is usually the sparking plugs that 'get the lion's share of the blame. The modern sparking plug is, however, very reliable and efficient, and if the engine is sluggish, does not idle smoothly or misses momentarily at different speeds, it will probably be found that wear and tear, leaking ignition cables, a weak coil,, worn distributor' points, or faulty carburettor adjustment are the real causes. If the plugs are at fault, at all, then most likely an adjustment of the gap setting, or a good cleaning, is all that will be necessary to cure the trouble. Again, there are "hot" and "cold" engines, and the sparking plujgs used should be suitable for the conditions prevailing in the combustion chambers. . In the engine which has a tendency to foul its sparking plugs a "hotter" type of sparking plug should be used in preference to the one which is normally recommended. If the engine becomes overheated and spits through the carburettor, it may be that the mixture is too weak, that the cooling system needs attention, or that the valves are sticking slightly, but an improvement may be made by fitting a "cooler" type of plug than is usually recommended. When 10,000 miles has been recorded, which is a good average distance for a year's driving, a new set .of plugs should be installed.

MR CHICHESTER. HIS FAMILY IN DEVON. SECRET DEPARTURE ON LONG FLIGHT. "At 3 o'clock on Friday, December 20th, a young man, wearing goldrimmed pince-nez, climbed into the cockpit of his* Moth aeroplane at Croydon Aerodrome, and with the remark, 'Cheerio, I'm off to Australia,' took off in brilliant moonlight and ideal flying conditions." This paragraph was contained in an article in an issue of the "Bedford and North Devon Weekly Gazette," dated December 31st, 1929, concerning Mr P. C. Chichester's recent flight from England to Australia. It continues:— "Mr Chichester's departure was made with the greatest of secrecy, only a few officials and mechanics being present when he started. 'I understand that he is going to attempt to beat Mr Bert Hinkler's record flight to Australia,' said an official at the aerodrome shortly after Mr Chichester left. 'He has kept his arrangements completely dark, and, although we had heard here that it was his intention to fly to Australia some time soon, we did not know until he had arrived at the aerodrome shortly after midnight that he intended to start to-day.' "The Chichester family is one of the best-known in Devon, and his connexion with the northern portion of the shire goes back to the reign of Eichard 11. Mr F. C. Chichester, who is 28, is a nephew of the late Bear-Admiral Sir Edward Chichester, of Youlston, a distinguished naval officer, who inherited the adventurous spirit of the Chichesters, which is now typified in the adventurous flyeT. The latter is not an ex-R.A.F. officer, as has been described, the confusion probably arising from the fact that he has a cousin in the Eoyal Air Force, now abroad, Mr Pat

Chichester, who formerly played forward for Bartistaple Bugby Club, and was heavy-weight boxing champion of the Royal Air Force. He has boxed in an exhibition bout at Barnstaple with Bombardier "Wells.

"Interviewed at Sherwill Bectory, the Bev. Charles Chichester said he knew nothing of his son's projected flight until that morning, when he heard from his brother, Mr Orlando Chichester, who also lives at Sherwill, and, who had received a telephone message stating that Mr Chichester had started for Australia.

"Mr Chiehester said his son, who is married, and has one son aged about three, left North Devon some ten years ago, and has been living at Wellington, New Zealand, where he has been engaged in business for some years. When he went to New Zealand first he started sheep-farming with Mr Holmes, son of Mr J. S. Holmes, of Eoborough,' Barnstaple. He became associated with, several undertakings in New Zealand, and is at present a partner in the firm of Messrs Goodwin and Chichester.

"His latest business enterprise has been the importation of aeroplanes into New Zealand. Keenly interested in flying, he learnt at Brooklands Flying School, and has latterly been at Byfleet. Some time ago, his father remarked, he toured Europe by aeroplane, and on two occasions visited his North Devon home by the same means, his last visit being in the summer of the present year, when he remained some days and made flights from Sherwill, taking up members of the family and friends."

FUTURE DEVELOP MENT. ATTEMPTS TO MAKE W, SAFER. " It is difficult to predict the firfL aviation, but a general ides'af' ' may be expected in the secoaft <fi century of flying may be a consideration of some of tbg ' standing problems upon tical engineers now are at migi Airmen are giving more tention to navigational ' if the full success expected'taj perfection of the radio achieved it is possible that planes of the future will travel skyroads, as easy to follow as tracks of a railroad. r'A Altimeter Still Impeiftct' ; Instruments to assist in'thejfa tion of aeroplanes through bid are occupying an increasing attention of inventors and gineers. In regard to appears strange that the which is exclusively a developing { aviation remains farthest froapek tion. This is the altimeter, employed to determine the heigbfijf,, aeroplane from the ground. -C, The trouble with the metric type of altimeter ia.'tlut | measures distance to sea does this through Wm giving any indication of of such obstructions. Aray engMg consider the perfection of altimeter one of the outstanSulhi

a£ aviation to-day. ■ New "at a solution of this, difficulty

have been undertaken, and-Pfr* W. Alexanderson, conaaltingjfljji of the General Electric ColsmS nounced progress with .an/MB operated '' depth sounding-'^flSTO? Wider Speed Margin BfjpjQtjj Throughout the first qnartßtftS of flying the goal of Bafe #Bwj? been sought by increasing ttaHW an aeroplane in flight and speed at which it will land. "M effort to keep an aeroplane aiftt the dangerous stalling angW'PS the most striking invention "« the slotted wing. This device the lift of a wing when it an angle that normal lift #H exists. Much interesting been done with this idea, been specially .developed VJ'S* Haviland engineers in Enpj^y The widening of the flying speed and the of aeroplanes is the proeedajjftfollowed by most of the auWJ signers seeking to produce # - proof" aeroplane, which anyW? after a minimum of production of a "fool-pro? 1. Jgjg capable of taking off and WR small space, is occupying maw of many designers to-day, JffljKSg cess or failure of their end»TO mainly determine whetherskies of the future will -fie myriad of tiny aeroplanes. ,