TRAINING AIRMEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 10, 6 October 1917, Page 8

TRAINING AIRMEN

GREAT ARM OF THE FUTURE

WHAT IS BEING DONE IN CANTERBURY *

One can scarcely read of the : Almost : daily air raids on England by German ■ aviators without realising that the aero- , ' plane is now playing almost as big a part in the war on land as the submarines ' are at sea. Tho extraordinary events of the past three years have fully justified the existence of flying schools in this ■ country, and it is interesting to learn of the progress that tho new school established at Sockburn, near Christchnrch, ie making. That information was furnished to a DOMINION reporter by Mr. ■ C. W. Hervey, secretary of tho Cnnter- ■"■' bury Aviation Company, Ltd., who arrived here yesterday. The flying ground ■' At .Sockburn is not subject to military :■ control, but still the cadets on qualifying are being regularly drafted into the 1 air service of the Empire, and if things go on as at present it is evident, to all ' that old England will need every skilled :'.-■ airman she can get now and in the future. The company was established as the result of an enthusiastic meeting in - Christchurch, which was of the opinion that the opportunity for training some of our young men in this essential branch of the service, and indeed for the niitural development that is bound to take place in flying after the war, should bo provided, and that in the most suitable part of the country, viz., Canterbury. Tho ■•■• company was floated, and has -low >f,n I doingnot-Ably good work for many months past, without any great, flourish of tramMr Hervey, who is very interested in the work, wishes to make known to people : in this island that there is a well-iriiiip-ped flying school in the south, and vbefore'ho returns hopes to influence many '•■■ young men, who have the necessary quali- : ncations , for this, the most fascinating -. "arm of the Empire's services. The school is really in charge of Mr. C M. Hul (head instructor), who, in the many demonstrations he has given, has removed doubts that existed as to the danger of '■■ the work. Indeed, he has proved that : the risks to a' careful, well-trained man ;'■' are less than in other branches of active gervice. The fee at the Sockburn School is .£IOO for a six or eight'veeks course (during which cadets are comfortably ■■■■ ftoused at the aerodrome). .On passing the preliminary flying tests the pupil receives a grant of £75 in New Zealand ~ on behalf of the British Government, and ••is sent Home at the Army Councils v ■ expense to undergo and complete tneir : ' ' training with the Eoynl Wying Corps. Mr. Hervey. stated that up to the '. ■ present eight 1 pupils hncl oua ified, and ■ : were about to leave for England. All who remember tho late lamented Anthony r Wilding (the world's chajnpion tennis ;■■■ player) would be interested to learn that the first pupil to qualify was his brother, •■ Mr E. F. Wilding. Other pupils had \ come on rapidly, and showed extraordiu- • ary keenness and adaptability for the ; work. The instructional methods of Mr. ■ Hill have.been highly commended by : Major Sleeman, the Imperial (staff) oßicer who recently inspected the school ■ '•« and witnessed the air work of the pupils. The school has the advantage of a :■ natural flying ground. That is to say ■ that Sockburn is a fine stretch of flat ■■■■- land five miles from Christchurch, and lias a more extensive landing-ground than " Hendon itself, which is all nv favour ot- ;' the beginner. There is a well-equipped -workshop whore every part of the engine ' is 6hown and its function explained. At present the air fleet consists of three :"■■• complete machines, and two are now being ;'■' built. A "Bleriot" monoplane is used • for taxi purposes about the grounds, -when the pupil learns to manage his ■ : controls without leaving the ground. It • i 3 the same machine, in point of fact, V in -which Louis Bleriot crossed the Chanv nel on July 25,1909. The second machine ■-'-' is a late model Caudron dual control bi-- ■■ plane, one of the safest types known, ■i fitted with aBO h.p. Anzani engine. The '■■ -Ducilß are taken up in this machine by i Mr. Hill, until they "get their wings, ■ and as the controls can be worked from > ■ either seat, theyare quickly initiated into : : : the tricks of tlie game. The third machine is also a Caudron biplane, with a v 45 h.p. Anzani engine, and was used :/ 'lVy Mr Scotland on "his pioneer flights ! in the south. This is « fine steady ■■■' machine, on which Mr. Hill has oopcrt:v the-loop on several occasions with ease '''■ ahd : success. The company has two more ': : ■ Anw*s "engin.es of 100 h.p. , each on the ; -water, , and one of-these fine days Wellv ington lnny'be startled to. see ' visitors ; arriving from across the Strait by aeroP Mr* Hervey believes that there is a . : ereat future before the aeroplane for '■' express services of a kind in New Zea- '' land.. As ouv railways will never be able to develop great. epeed, owing to their : narrow giiage, urgent mails and even pas- ; sengers may one day in the not far dis- :' tant future be conveyed via the empty, yast, and wandering air." Who knows?