AIR PAGEANT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19854, 15 February 1930, Page 14

AIR PAGEANT.

TODAY'S CARNIVAL.

SPECTACULAR DISPLAYS AT SOCKBURN.

Provided the weather holds t0 day, the Canterbury Aero Club'a I«s Air Pageant should be a decidedly spec tacular attraction. In addition to a series of acrobatic displays and 0 tion flying, a special feature will be arrival at 3 p.m. of Mr F. C. Chichester, the New Zealander who recently flew from England to Australia. Final arrangements have now made in connexion with the pag: _ » and the officials have done J® possible to ensure the complete e of the function. It remains only tor the public to co-operate by taking e y care to stay in the enclosures se for them, and avoid congestion as much as possible, for the arrangements at present made should be adequate cope with all requirements. Mr . . Climie, secretary of the Club, has - quested that as many as possible of those going to Sockburn should do so before the main programme commences at 2 o'clock, as traffic will be unavoidably congested if crowds of cars arrive at the same hour. A car-parking area will ,be provided behind the space for the general public, and splendid views of all events will be obtained from any section of the ground. At 12 o'clock, formations of aeroplanes will fly over the City and suburbs, as an indication that the pageant will take place, and unless the weather is very bad, no postponement will be made.

A total of 32 machines, the greatest yet assembled at a pageant in New Zealand, will participate in the programme. All machines will be on view, whether they are flying or not, they should be the centre of considerable interest.

An attractive programme containing photographs of some of the aeroplanes, and giving detailed explanations of «very event, will be on sale. The booklot has been very well arranged, many interesting diagrams of stunt-flying being given.

Heats of the Wigram Aerial Derby (5 miles) will be flown at 11 a.m., and the formation flying over the City will tnke place an hour later. Commencing at. 2 p.m., the main events will be run off, the order being as follows;.— 2 p.m.—Aerobatics by two light aeroplanes. 2.15 p.m.—Landing Competition far club pilots, for Sir Francis Boys's trophy. 2.25 p.m.—All' Transport race. In this race the competing pilots first run fifty yards, then cycle fifty yards to their machines, which will be running, jump in without a passenger, fly approximately three miles, land up to a tape at the centre of the Aerodrome, run to their bicycles and ride fifty yards, then push wheelbarrows home. 2.50 p.m.—Landing Competition for senior pilots. 3 p.m.—Arrival of Messrs Chichester and Goodwin.

3.40 p.m.—Aerobatics in light machines.

4 p.m.—Slow Bace. 4.15 p.m.—Balloon Chasing. 4.30 p.m.—rHeight Judging Competition. In this an aeroplane will go up to a height of between two and six thousand feet, and let off a flare, The exact height will be accurately taken by theodolites. Competitors must put their answers in the specially provided boxes on the grounds, not later than 6.30 p.m. 4.45 p.m.—Final of the Wigram Derby. -5 p.m.—Parachute Descent.

5.35 p.m.—Handicap Aerial Derby. There were lively scenes at the Wigram Aerodrome yesterday, when trial flights were made by several pilots taking part in to-day's pageant. Many aeroplanes arrived from other centres during the day; Flight-Lieutenant Burrell, with Wing-Commander S. GrantDalton as passenger, and Captain Chandler, flew from Blenheim;. Captain Stedman, Captain Bloomfield, and Mr H. Armstrong came from the North Island, and two aeroplanes from Dunedin wero piloted by Miss Aroha Clifford and Mr J. M. Bnckeridge. There was a lively time at the 'Wigram Aerodrome yesterday when several' of the visiting pilots were testing and tiding out their 'planes in preparation for to-day. Nearly all the machine*) which will be flown at the pageant have now arrived in Christchurch. and yesterday afternoon aeroplanes seemed to be arriving from all quarters. Flight-Lieutenant H. B. Bur rell. with Wing-Conunander S. Gront-Dalton, flew from Blenheim in one aeroplane, and pilots of other machines from the north were FlightLieutenants N. C. Chandler (Marlborough), W. S. R. Bloomfield (Auckland), 6. A. Stedman (Wellington), and Mr H. Armstrong (Hawke's Bay). Two Spartan aeroplanes arrived from Dunedm at 4 o'clock, 'piloted by Miss Aroha Clifford and Mr J. M. Buckeridge. An informal welcome and smoke concert was given the visiting f aviators last evening at the Canterbury Automobile Association's rooms, where Sir Francis Boys presided, and expressed the hope that the pageant would be an unqualified success, and that the visitors would have the very best of good times. Wing-Commander S. Grant-Dal-ton and many pilots and Aero Club members were present.