Birdman tries powered flight

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32958, 3 July 1972, Page 14

Birdman tries powered flight

Jeffrey Jobe, of Seattle, who made three spectacular kite flights from Mount Hutt last week, showed his versatility when he flew solo for the first time in a powered aircraft before he left Christchurch for the United States during the week-end.

Mr Jobe flew solo in a Cessna 150 after only about one hour and a half of instruction by Mr J. Reid, the chief flying instructor of the Christchurch Central Flying School, at Christchurch Airport. “His experience in making hundreds of flights in mancarrying kites evidently gave him a feeling for controlling a prepeller aircraft, but he

was obviously very pleased to get his solo certificate,” said Mr Reid.

Mr Reid said Mr Jobe had previously flown for an hour or two with an instructor about six years ago, but his ability to fly solo in such a short time showed exceptional aptitude. Mr Jobe said he wanted to fly solo so that he could strap his kite to the undercarriage of a light aircraft and reach suitable areas for kite flying in the United States in a minimum of time. TO BUY AIRCRAFT

He said he would buy a light aircraft when he returned to America as he was required to give demonstration kite flights up to 1000 miles away from his base. This would eliminate the inconvenience of carrying the kite on a car roof rack for long distances, said Mr Jobe. Later in the week-end, Mr Jobe visited the Canterbury Gliding Club at Wigram, and a club instructor took him for his first glider flight. Later he flew a Cessna in wave-lift for about 20 minutes without using the engine.

Mr Jobe, who is a professional instructor of ski-ing and water ski-ing, will set up a kite-flying school at the newly-established mountain resort of Snowberg, in Utah. KITE STAYS IN N.Z. The pilot of the helicopter which took him to the summit of Mount Hutt for his flights last week, Mr M. M. Cain, of Timaru, was so impressed with the possibilities for kite flying in New Zealand after seeing the performance of Mr Jobe that he purchased the kite. He flew by helicopter from Timaru to take the kite home.

Yesterday, Mr Cain tried the kite out in a flight from hills behind Timaru.

He said by telephone from Timaru last night: “I was very impressed with the stability and the way it handled, and with the ability of New Zealand engineers we might even be able to improve it.”