BOY OF 15 QUALIFIES FOR GLIDING LICENCE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27637, 19 April 1955, Page 12

BOY OF 15 QUALIFIES FOR GLIDING LICENCE

A 15-year-old Ashburton schoolboy, known to his friends as Jumbo, may be New Zealand’s youngest pilot. He is Gary Earl Olliver, a pupil at the Ashburton Technical High School, and a spare-time delivery boy for “The Press” who qualified for his “C” soaring certificate with the Canterbury Gliding Club on April 11. He made his first solo flight on March 26 after three hours and a half dual instruction and he qualified for his certificate after a further one hour and a half. Members of the Canterbury Gliding Club regard Jumbo with affection and not a little pride, for his progress has been remarkable. A few weeks before Christmas the boy joined the club and began training at the club’s annual camp at Simons Hill, Mackenzie Country. He began in the club T. 31 two-seat training sailplane and quickly showed he was an apt pupil. After he had made 41 flights in this machine Mr J. Evans, the club captain and second instructor, sent him on his first solo flight. At this stage he had three and a. half hou s ' - n his log book. After a further one our and a half

dual and solo instruction in the trainer he was promoted to the Eon Baby sailplane, a single-seater. On his third flight in this aircraft he qualified for his C certificate. Now he is hard at work for his Silver C certificate, the next step in his flying career. An overwhelming interest in aircraft and flying brought Jumbo to the gliding club. He was too young to be allowed to fly a powered machine. Long before he took the plunge and joined the Gliding Club he was to be found at Christchurch airport helping with the parking and refuelling of the light aircraft used by the Canterbury Aero Club. He also belongs to the Ashburton squadron of the Air Training Corps and is a keen modeller. Money to finance his flying’ and his weekly trips to Christchurch comes from his spare-time job as a paperrunner for “The Press” in Ashburton, .tie is stilL at school, but early every morning he is up to make his rounds. On Saturdays he is abroad even earlier to complete his deliveries before catcha bus for Christchurch and his gliding.