AERO CLUB DISPLAY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 221, 15 June 1931, Page 6

AERO CLUB DISPLAY

Thrills for Spectators CLEVER TRICK FLYING Zooming, spinning, looping, rolling, diving, and dropping bombs at a target, the pilots of the Wellington Aero Club entertained more than a thousand people at Rongotai Airport on Saturday afternoon, when the club’s first competitions were held. , r _ , Opening the display, Squadron-Leader G. L. Stedman, the club’s pilot instructor, and Flight-Commander G. B. Bolt, the newly-appointed assistant - instructor, took off in formation, and mounting into the sky, commenced an exxhibition of trick flying. Like a pair of playful birds, they whirled around each other’s tail, performed various aerobatics, and then flew at one another, causing the spectators to anticipate a head-on collision when, in reality, the two Moths were well clear of each other. Still another trick from their repertoire was for one to zoom up beneath his comrade, and at the last moment, when he seemed certain to hit the underside of the machine above, to stall, and fall backwards into a loop, the exhibition concluding with a steep dive almost to the tarmac, parallel with the watchers, and then a sharp climb, with engine on, roaring upward a few feet in front of the foremost spectators. After this came the landing competition, in which the club-trained pilots endeavoured to land within a chalk-marked circle, and an aerobatic competition, in which the contestants looped, spun, and rolled, each bidding to outdo the other in the variety and perfection of his manoeuvres. The landing competition was won by Mr. L. Taylor, with Mr. C. C. Waite, who won the aerobatic contest, second. Mr. C. M. Duthie was runner-up in the aerobatic competition. The concluding competition was bombing, the target in which each competitor dropped two “bombs” filled with flour, as near the circle as he could. No direct hits were recorded, the prize going to Mr. H. Gardiner, who put one 11 yards from the mark. Club’s Best Pilot. The Gibson Cup, for the best pilot trained by the club during, the year, was awarded to Mr. C. M. Duthie. The Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, who is also president of the Aero Club, and who was accompanied by his wife, thanked those who had attended, on behalf of the club, and spoke of the work which the club had accomplished. “Eighteen months ago not one of those who have been flying to-day. could fly,” he stated. “The whole of the work has been done in the last eighteen months. During that time, they have trained one B pilot, Mr. C. M. Duthie, who has -won competitions in all parts of the Dominion, and is now able to carry passengers for hire. The club ought to be proud of him. In addition, they had trained 16 A pilots, and four of these had gained endorsed licenses, which enabled them to take passengers, but not for money. Mr. Hislop also appealed for more support for the Aero Club, which was living on its capital. Detailed results of the competitions are as follow: — Landing Competition (Lloyd Cup).— L. Taylor, 1; C. C. Waite, 2; E. J. Lloyd, 3. Aerobatic Contest (Stedlin Cup).—C. C. Waite, 1; C. M. Duthie, 2; L. Taylor, 3. Bombing the Target.—H. Gardiner, 1; E. J. Lloyd, 2. Best Pilot of the Year (Gibson Cup).— C. M.' Duthie. Among those present were the Director of Air Services, Wing-Commander S. Grant-Dalton, D. 5.0., A.F.C.; FlightLieutenant A. de T. NeviH, and Councillors W. Appleton, W. 11. Bennett, and J. N. Wallace.