LOST IN THE AIR

Evening Star, Issue 16663, 20 February 1918, Page 4

LOST IN THE AIR

BLOWN FROM SOCKBURN TO LAKE ELLESMERE. [Special to thk 'Star.'] CHRISTCHUROH, February 20. In yesterday's 'Press' appeared an account of a Sockburn aviator being lost in the clouds and blown from Sockburn to Jillesmcre. It now transpires that the aviator who had this sensational experience was C A. Fyfe. of Dunedin, a lad who yesterday passed his flying test. Lieu-tenant-colonel Sleeman has written to Sir Mercer assistant instructor, who searched tor and found Fyfe, congratulating him upon his excellent rescue work.

lesterday's 'Press' said: "An incident not at all uncommon in connection with flymg at the front, we aro told, in for a aviator to lose his way in a fog or storm, buch an experience, it is safe to say, had never befallen a flying man within the Dominion until on Saturday afternoon last, when, unknown to all but a very few, a pupil of the Canterbury Aviation Company s school at Sockburn had a decidedly unpleasant and sensational experience. On that afternoon Lieutenant-colonel Sleeman visited the flying school, and, there being fi ir n- weather, he was asked by Mr Ti , *' the inst r«ctor, whether he would observe the flight of one of the pupils who wished to qualify for his ticket-. Lieutenant-colonel Sleeman consented, and the pupil ascended to undergo his first . hi* -u T? all 2 nted safely, and, the weather still holding, went up again for a second flight. Meanwhile the clouds'had gathered, and while he was up aloft a big rainstorm swept over the ground, completely obscuring the airman from the sight of th ° se , belpw. Nearl y half an hour elapsed, and ho did not return, whereat there was considerable anxiety expressed for his safety Mr Mercer, assistant instructor, immediately volunteered to go out to look for the missing man, and ascended in one ol the stronger machines. After travelling lor some,time ho found his quarry, who had got as far out of his course as the shore of Lake Ellesmere, where he was just preparing to descend into a stubble held. Mr Mercer then piloted the other airman homeward, intense admiration of His exploit bemff expressed by all who witnessed the incident. The pupil has still to qualify tor his ticket, which.he will do on the first calm day."