K. WAKEMAN TO REPRESENT N.Z. IN WORLD’S GLIDING

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28445, 27 November 1957, Page 5

K. WAKEMAN TO REPRESENT N.Z. IN WORLD’S GLIDING

A leading New Zealand glider pilot who has also some 5000 hours’ flying experience in powerdriven aircraft has been chosen to represent New Zealand in the international gliding championships to be held in Poland next July. He is Keith Wakeman a wellknown South Island top-dressing pilot whose recent remarkable feat in flying a glider across Cook Strait from Lees Valley to Palmerston North smashed national records for both speed and distance sailplane flight. The New Zealand Gliding Association which has chosen Wakeman to represent New Zealand in the world solo gliding events, will also a former Fleet Air Arm pilot, P. Cummins of South Cantrebury and Christopher Wills of Christchurch, one of whom may fly for New Zealand with Wakeman if the Dominion enters a team in the two-seater events at the international championships. Wills is a son of Mr Philip Wills, a former world gliding titleholder who set a New Zealand altitude record when he reached about 32.000 ft over Mount Cook three seasons ago. He will visit New Zealand for further glider flying this Christmas. Beginning of Career

Wakeman, who began his flying career at 18 when he did his initial training with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, later did three tours of duty in the Pacific during the war and went with the first R.N.Z.A.F. occupation squadron to Japan. He later became one of a group of former service pilots who helped to establish the aerial topdressing industry in the South

Island. He has done about 4000 flying hours as a top-dressing pilot since 1950. Wakeman said that notable height and distance glider flying by the well known Canterbury glider pilot, S. H. Georgeson and] by Mr Philip Wills and latterly his own speed and distance gliding successes have convinced him that New Zealand has outstanding gliding weather which could easily qualify the Dominion as a suitable venue for a future world gliding championship. With the continued rapid growth of the sport here it might not be long before New Zealand could produce sufficient organisational strength and enough suitable aircraft to act as host country for aj 'world event. When in the near; future New Zealand glider pilolsl 'were able to acquire modern high 'altitude heated and pressurised flying suits outstanding conditions in New Zealand could easily make possible a world height record. This at present stood at more than 40.000 ft. Wakeman said. N.Z. Team Manager

The New Zealand team manager in Poland will be Mr Toby Harrison who acted as team manager for Georgeson when he competed at the world championships at San Yan in France last year. Wakeman reached speeds of about 130 miles an hour in his recent flight across Cook Strait during which he covered about; 270 miles in about 2 hours 50' minutes averaging about 90 miles' an hour for the journey.

Gliding experts in New Zealand consider Wakeman’s chances will be enhanced by the use of one of Britain’s most modern and highest performance sail planes a Skylark 111 which is being made available to the New Zealand team for the world championships by Slingsby Sailplanes, of England.