Backward Flight

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31652, 11 April 1968, Page 12

Backward Flight

(N Z. Press Association)

NELSON, April 10.

A Nelson pilot, Mr J. W. Reid, had the strange experience of moving backwards in his helicopter this morning while attempting to cross the Takaka hill in vicious wind. “I found myself moving backwards out to sea. The only thing to do was to put the nose down and build up speed until I could cut across the direction of the wind.” he said at Nelson Airport after a Ihr 45min flight from Takaka which normally takes 20min.

One of the most experienced helicopter pilots in New Zealand, Mr Reid was formerly a test pilot in England. He is manager of Helicopters of New Zealand, Ltd. He said he had a similar experience only four times before in his flying career —once in the Mediterranean —but they were in slower models than the one he was flying today. He recorded a wind speed of 80 miles an hour over the hill. It was at the head of the Riwaka Valley while heading for Tasman that he found the helicopter was moving backwards towards the sea coast at Kalteriteri. He had to build speed to 105 miles an hour before he could regain any forward progress.