TIMARU TO CHRISTCHURCH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 56, 7 March 1914, Page 5

TIMARU TO CHRISTCHURCH

MR. SCOTLAND'S FLIGHT COLD WEATHER. (IT TKIIQRAPR— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, 6th March. Mr. J. W. H. Scotland accomplished a flight from Titnaru to Christchui'ch in a Caudron biplane to-day. He left Timaru at^B.3s a.m., but was compelled owing to the colduess and engine troubles to descend at Orari at 9 a.m. lie left again at, 3.20 p.m., arriving and landing successfully in the showgrounds, Ghristchurch, at 5.5 p.m., where he was welcomed by about 200 people. The trip was very rough, with a gusty wind. A BUMPY RIDE THE AIRMAN INTERVIEWED. (ll* TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL TO THE POST.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. When Mr. Scotland stepped out of his pilot's seat on the aeroplane the coldness of the journey up from the- South was stamped upon his features. They were white, and absolutely bloodless, and even the lips showed up but a very pale pink. He was not heavily wrapped ; an ordinary tweed overcoat and a muffler alone supplying protection .against the cold. Speaking to a reporter shortly afterhis" arrival, Ml', Scotland said that his journey had been a bad one. ' ' I went up first in Timaru at 6 a.m., but I had to go back to make adjustments in control, and 'l got away finally at 8.35. The conditions were then very bad, and I experienced severe cold. T went up 2600 feet, and from that height I dropped a parcel into Temuka addressed to Mr. Andrews. I rose up to between 4000 feet and SOOO feet, but at Orari a slight engine trouble made me go down. My propeller stopped, and I volplaned down about 300 feet into Bell's paddock. After my mechanic had fixed up the eti gine I left Orari at 3.20 p.m., and flew up to about 6000 feet, but the wind was very bumpy. It was catching my planes, and tossing the machine about like a cork. First I would rise suddenly, and then sink, and the effort to keep control was severe, am sure that but for the excellent stability of the aeroplane^ I would have turned turtle.. The conditions were so bad that I sank down to about 1000 feet, and found the «vind better, although it was still gusty. The railway line was my guide, and I passed the express at Bankside. All along the route people were out watching for me, and I waved t<> some when I was low enough for them to see me. It was a very gusty, bumpy ride, and I was glad when it was over " Talking of weather conditions, Mr. Scotland said that it was almost impossible to judge the force of the wind in the higher levels from the grodud. It might be calm near the earth, yet be totally unfitted for flying higher up, especially in New Zealand, where there were so many hills., The cross currents were very strong, and the topographical peculiarities seemed to act like funnels, and as his machine was fitted with only a 45 horse-power engine the winds had to be watched.