BENEATH IKE WINDSOCK

Evening Star, Issue 21078, 15 April 1932, Page 2

BENEATH IKE WINDSOCK

[By Gipsi Moth.] PRINCE AS “BLIND” PILOT. Tho Duke of Gloucester shares cthusiasm for flying with "his brothers, tho Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, and Prince George. Ho has had piloting experience and possesses considerable technical knowledge, and was able, therefore, to appreciate to the full the importance of tho demonstration_ of “blind” or instrument flying, given him at Hamblo aerodrome a few hours after he had formally declared open tho already well-known international flying school started there by Air Service Training Ltd. Tho Duke ascended with an instructor in a service type training two-seater biplane, sitting in tho pupil’s cockpit, which is hooded over so that nothing outside tho aeroplane can be seen. For several minutes lie flew the machine entirely by means of the instruments on tho dashboard. So precise is the instrumental equipment that recently one of the school instructors flew a machine from the hooded cockpit from Hamble aerodrome to Heston, near London, without deviating from the predetermined course, and at the estimated moment of arrival put back the hood to find himself exactly over Heston landing ground. Navigation of this order of accuracy is expected of those school students who take the special “ blind ” flying course; every pupil must make a triangular flight of about sixty miles, using instruments only, and finishing over the aerodrome from which he started. “Blind” acrobatic flying can also be performed with accuracy not exceeded by tho most brilliant “visual” pilot. A remarkable turn and bank indicator, invented and developed by Flight-lieutenant Reid and Mr F. Sigrist, is the most important item of equipment additional to that used in normal “ visual ” flying. This device, though it records infallibly and sensitively and deviation from tho direct line of flight or from tlve normal attitude of the flying machine, yet weighs several ounces less than two pounds BESET BY BEES. Knowledge of the habits of bees is not usual with a pilot, yet it saved the lives of pilot and passengers recently in France, when bees from a hive shipped by air express from Marseilles to Paris got loose while the airplane was flying and invaded cabin and cockpit. The passengers were able to protect themselves to some extent by blankets or shawls drawn tightly oyer their heads, but the unfortunate pilot had no such defence, nor was ho able to land the plane at once without serious danger, and tho incident offered, therefore, material for disaster. Fortunately, the pilot remembered that bees swarming out of a hive seldom sting unless disturbed. He continued to fly the airplane, but made as few movements as possible and made those very slowly. As a result lie was able to bring down the plane safely at tho Paris airport, with bees swarming all over his body, bub at the expense of only one or two stings for himself and a few more for the passengers. Once on the ground tho bees were induced to swarm around their queen, who had remained in the damaged hive. AMERICAN AIR TOURISTS. This season has witnessed a new version of tho American practice of creating cars to Europe for pleasure tours on the Continent, in tho shipping of privately-owned aircraft to enable tourists to visit tho less-known European countries. The largest factor in popularising the new method of touring lias been the efficient ground organisation in Great Britain and Western Europe, and in some cases the pilots have ventured as far afield as Finland and Morocco. Tho American lady pilot, Miss M. Durant, will include Egypt and Asia Minor in her aerial tour. Flying the Lockheed Vega machine, which was crated to Cherbourg, she will travel via Paris, Marseilles, Rome, Tunis, and Tripoli to Cairo via Jerusalem to Damascus and return via Tunis and tho same route. Vicomtc de Sibour, with his wife and M. Damet, a mechanic, left Le Bourget aerodrome on June 10, and reached Konisberg on the same day, Moscow' two days later, and Omsk the following day. Irkourak was reached on Juno 21 and Mukden three days later. China was thus reached eight days after leaving France by flying daily hops of 1,000 kms.

AN UNENVIABLE TRIP. The Otago Aero Club lias’every right to I'eel satisfied with the training that Flight-lieutenant Olson is giving his pupils. So far none of the club pilots have received any instruction in “ blind or night 1 ’ flying, but the following details of an adventurous trip should illustrate the high standard to which the club pilots are trained. On Saturday, April 2, three machines of the Otago Aero Club, piloted by Flight-lieutenant Parke, Mr J. Stevenson, and Mr A. Burbridgc, left the Taieri to attend the field day at the Tiniaru aerodrome. Shortly after leaving Dunedin very wet and misty conditions were encountered, and the weather finally forced a halt at Palmerston. After about two boars’ delay there seemed a promise of an improvement, and the formation set oil’. Unfortunately the mist closed down again, and after following the coast at only 50ft altitude as far as Mocraki Point tbo planes lost touch with each other, ami were forced to land at different points, Burbridgc at Hampden, Stevenson at AVnianakarna, and Parke at Kartigi. For the club pilots to pick out forced landing grounds under such conditions and make good landings was no mean performance. Parke and Stevenson finally made Timaru at 4.15 p.m., after having again become lost in the fog, but fortunately picked each other up before reaching Timaru. It was an unenviable trip. Sunday and Monday wore impossible for Hying, but an improvement in the weather on Tuesday permitted Burbridgc, who bad made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate the fog overlying Dunedin on the Monday, to return to the Taieri in the afternoon.

Stevenson, who was still at Tiinani, could not get off until late in the afternoon, owing to surface water on the ’drome. However, about 4 o’clock lie took off with Mr H. • Mackay as passenger, and had a good trip as far as Waitati. Had conditions remained good the machine would have reached the Taiori before dark, however, they ran into a strong head wind with heavy rain and low clouds and were forced to fly very low up the harbour, tossed and battered by the storm. By this time it was dark, with it visibility of only a few yards, and the pilot and passenger

were anxious to get down to earth somewhere. Stevenson shut olf his engine to land on the foreshore, but a gleam rf water beneath Ids wing compelled iim to open up again and try elsewhere. By following the lights of cars tlioy felt their way to Green Island, hit could again defect water on the oiJy landing ground. The Taieri was niw their only hope of landing without damaging the machine, and through the rain and the mist_ the piano vas steered from one pin-point of light to another, until, finally, they locate! the ’drome, whore Stevenson made a perfect lr. .ding under conditions that would have tried most cxporieit’ed pilots with years of night llying- to their credit. It speaks voluncs for the instructor that a pilot with only forty hours’ Hying experience amid put up such a show as that performed, by Mr Stevenson. GLIDING. Tluro will ho a general meeting of those interested in gliding on Monday next, at 7.30, in the studio of station 4Z\V Caldcr Mackay’s Building. A fit of rules has been drawn up and thordighly discussed by the committee. Those' will bo read through, and, if approval, adopted. The rules, which wore drawl up by Air R. S. Frapwell, are very complete, and make provision for overv contingency. After the rules have been adopted, tbo permanent officials will be elected, the present ones liaviig been elected merely to place the club rm a firm footing. Mr W. G. V. Fernie, who has just retorted from a visit to Australia, was able !o meet glider enthusiasts in the nortl, and should bo able, to giro some usefn information on the subject at the reeling.

]t will have to bo the fuyst interest of tit new committee to find an area snitailc for gliding, as it is hoped to get b work as soon as the machine, whirl Hi' Drearer has placed at Iho dispual of the club, can. bo repaired.