Kiwi to ‘have a go at flying’

Press, 24 February 1987, Page 1

Kiwi to ‘have a go at flying’

By

deborah McPherson

A Christchurch man could be the first New Zealander to fly a humanpowered aircraft next week, if 20 years of planning and research becomes a reality. Deep in the heart of Wigram Air Base, a slight but fit former World War II fighter pilot, Mr Don Walther, is busy putting the finishing touches to a surprisingly flimsy-looking tandem-winged aircraft built of polystyrene and aircraft-quality aluminium, and covered in a strong, plastic material. The pedal-powered propeller aircraft nestles precariously among the Royal New Zealand Air Force training aircraft in one of the hangars at the base.

If Mr Walther, aged 65, and weighing 54.4 kg, successfully . flies the 57kg aircraft at Wigram next week, as planned, he says he could be the first New Zealander to fly such an aircraft in this country.

He said several other New Zealanders had previously attempted human-

powered flight without success.

The world distance record for human-powered flight was set on June 12, 1979, when Bryan Allen pedalled 35.8 km across the English Channel in the Gossamer Albatross, an aircraft designed by an American, Dr Paul MacCready.

Mr Walther’s previous flying experience includes three years in the Air Force as a pilot flying missions in the Pacific during World War 11. He was the sole survivor of a disastrous attempt to rescue a shot-down comrade in Papua New Guinea.

If Mr Walther cannot fly the aircraft next week, he might give it to “someone younger” to try. “I might look like a fool if it doesn’t work, but I decided to ‘be a Kiwi and have a go’ anyway.”

Mr Walther considers his aircraft’s design is unique when compared with other British and American attempts at designing human-powered aircraft. It is the only one to feature tandem wings and a prone or forward horizontal pedal position,

reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci's revolutionary attempt at flight, he said. Other human-powered aircraft designs normally included a vertical pedalling position, said Mr Walther.

Pedalling lying on his stomach was "as easy as swimming,” he said. “You just have to raise your head a little to . see out of the canopy, but you don’t have to keep your head up the whole time.” Mr Walther is confident he can pedal the necessary 25km/h or 80 revolutions a minute needed for the plane to take off. At the moment, Mr Walther cycles 17km each day at the rate of 27km/h. “If I can only fly quarter of a mile two feet above the ground, then I will be happy,” he said. Packing grade polystyrene covers the “bones” of the plane, which is built out of seven sheets of 3.6 m by 1.2rrl aircraftquality alloy. The polystyrene body houses the axle, tiller steering, part of the back wheel and two chains from a racing

bicycle. A wind meter is also installed inside, near the front of the cockpit. Car radiator hosing will act as a shock absorber for impact on landing.

Two wings with a combined wing span of 24.8 m are covered with a strong but light plastic "Melaniex” sheeting. The front wing, Which spans 13.4 m, has a lOdeg. “forward sweep,” “like that of a duck slowing to land in water,” Mr Walther said. The forward sweep of the wings gave the aircraft better control at lowspeed flying. The slightly higher back wings span about 11m.

Mr Walther spent five years building his aircraft in the garage of his Burnside home after retiring seven years ago from farming at Ashburton. He later assembled the wings “in the living room,” before moving to Wigram to complete the construction.

Before the aircraft even began to take shape, Mr Walther also spent 15 years planning and researching the design.