CONCERNING FLYING

Evening Star, Issue 20428, 8 March 1930, Page 25

CONCERNING FLYING

A SPORT FOR WOMEN Far and away one of the roost fascinating sports for women is flying. Even to take off and just fly round the sky and enjoy the compiete freedom of the air, the independence and aloofness from the earth, is a sport in itself. Racing is, I think, the most thrilling form of sport in the air, and the air race meetings are cheery gatherings. There are occasionally events for women alone, but generally we race with the men, writes a well-known woman flyer in an English newspaper.

And this is almost the only sport in which we can compete with the male on equal terms without spoiling sport. Hunting is the only other I can think of. In any game, as tennis, golf, or cricket, we need a handicap to bring us level with a man of corresponding class. The American ‘ Women’s Derby must have been a truly sporting event, with nineteen women competing on a course of several thousanl miles. It was sad that such ‘a promising young pilot as Miss Marvel Grosser, holder of the women’s altitude record, and only twenty-five years of age, should have been killed. 1

The international light aeroplane competitions are thoroughly sporting affairs. Last year the Rotterdam one was carried out in the most sporting spirit, with an arrival competition, team race, acrobatics, and the big open event. The latter, comprising landing and take-off, speed, and climbing competitions, was won by a woman, Lady Heath (who lately had such a tragic accident), beating Dutch, French, German, Belgian, and other pilots. The French light aeroplane competitions this year must have been a marvellous way of seeing 5,000 miles of Europe, round Franco, east to Bucharest, and back through Germany, Holland, and Belgium. A couple of oi)r British women pilots entered in this. Not only is flying a sport in itself, but it is a means of bringing other sports within one’s reach It is easy to get tc many spots on the coast in less than an hour from London for a swim. Many of the aeroplane owners go off with their golf bags for a game to their various clubs. Even to Gleneagles, in Perthshire, many private machines were flown from the aviation rally and tennis tournament and golf competitions in May. Flying, tennis, and squash rackets are all combined at Hanworth. Park, the new country club and air park at Feltham, twelve miles from Hyde Park Corner. Those who are keen on hunting, and are obliged to live in London, can fly up to “ the Shires ” for their day’s sport. Acrobatics is, of course, a sport in itself. A pilot who loves flying will often loop and spin and roll, do stall turns and “ falling leaf ” out of sheer exuberance of spirits, just as a thoroughbred colt will gallop round the fields for the joy of being alive.