LOSS IN ’PLANE CRASHES

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 7 August 1935, Page 9

LOSS IN ’PLANE CRASHES

SUM OF £1875 IN TWO YEARS WESTERN FLYING- CLUB FUNDS LACK OF CARE ALLEGED ’Plane crashes in the last two years involved a loss to the Western h ederated (North Island) Flying Club of £IS7S, and at a meeting of the federation council in Hawera yesterday consideration was given to the bestmanner. in which this drain upon the funds due, it was alleged, to the lack of care by pilots, could be overcome. It was pointed out by the federation president, Mr A. S. Burgess (A\ anganui) that, apart from the amount of £1875, there was also the fact that whilst machines were disabled their revenue earning capacity was nil.

Comparative figures for the past five years were submitted by the secretary (Mr S. E. Nielson) in the following table: —

Of five ’planes onerated by the federation, ZK-ACH flew 250 hours for twelve months ended May 31 last. ZK-ACZ 335 hours, ZK-AAX 153 hours and ZK-A.BP 168 hours—a total of 903 hours, which represented a drop ol 328 hours in the figures for'- 1833-34. ZK-ABS had been out of the air foxten months and had done very little flying prior to that. This decrease, it was mentioned, was in no way due to a decline in the interest in aviation, but solely to the lack of sufficient ’planes, three machines being out of commission for seven, nine and ten months respectively.

STEPS TO CURTAIL LOSS “What can we do to educate cur pilots in the need for greater cai e : asked Mr Burgess. “We must either tighten up our rules or take such other steps if we are to avoid a crash ourselves. It is apparent that the federation cannot continue for long under these conditions.’’ “From the statistics it,is clear that when flying first commenced pupils were careful and no losses resulted, said Mr W. G. Walkley (Hawera). “There is an old saying that, ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ and I suppose that is what has applied here. Pilots, with more confidence, became less careful, with minor mishaps. Mr Nielson (interrupting the picvious speaker): And then we came to 1934, when crash losses jumped to £Bl4 and last year to £lO61 —a sum total of nearly £I9OO. The federation instructor (FlyingOfficer lan Keith) said that no crashes occurred in the first 30 hours of a pilot’s training. “When m sight of the instructor, pilots are amenable to j discipline, but some of them, when oil their own, imagine that ‘Jack is as good as his master’ and try out their own ideas,” he said, “very often with, disastrous results.” . Mr Walkley suggested a, policy for adoption by the federation whereby Ea naked to take upon

themselves the duty of impressing pilots with the risks they incurred by indulging in unorthodox practices. Ihc federation had power to suspend a pilot if he was deemed unfitted by reason of such behaviour to have cliaigo of a machine. Mr C. Hannan (New Plymouth) remarked that action had already been taken along these lines, undoubtedly

with beneficial results not only to Die person concerned but to others. he opportunity had been taken on occasions to impress upon New Plymouth pilots that they must he careful with federation ’planes and all were imbued with that sense of their responsibility. BREACH OF REGULATIONS Flying-Officer Keitli remarked that practically every crash in the fedei action to date had been due to a breach of some regulation. The rules, he said, were strict enough to control club flying and .in no way irksome. - Air Walkley’s suggestion was endorsed by the chairman and adopted.

Other" club delegates present were Mr A. F. Sandford (New Plymouth), Dr. W. F- Buist and Air R. Syme (Hawera), and Air J. Franklin (Avanganui). Congratulations were extended bv the council to the Hawera club of the acquisition of what was described by the president as one of the finest sites in t ij e Dominion for an airport.

Surprise was expressed that the club bad finallv completed the negotiations for the purchase of the Spratt Estate on Waihi Road independent of any assistance by local bodies, one speaker remarking that in this respect the anport was unique. “In the circumstances I must say that I admire the Hawera club for tackling this problem single-handed, said Air Sandford. “I know' of no other club that has shown such determination and it is certainly a magmficont site that has been chosen. Mr Walkley: Thank you. Air Sandford. Those are the first kind words that have been spoken to us.

Continuing, Mr Walkley briefly men. tioned the progress of negotiations with the Hawera Borough Council for a subsidy up to a point beyond which it was found impossible to proceed further. The club had launched out on its own initiative, and in four months time, when the present tenancy of

Dunlop Field expired, flying would commence oit the new ground.

A PUBLIC DUTY “j cannot understand the attitude , of the borough in the matter,” said , Air Franklin. “Elsewhere it is regarded almost ns a duty- to provide a municipal airport.” Doubtless theie would be a change of attitude when regular services were passing overhead, he° said, for no one wanted to be leftout in the cold. On the motion of the chairman, seconded bv-Mr Sandford, it was resolved that a letter be sent congratulating the Hawera club on its undertaking. In reply to representations made by the federation that aerodromes he do-, dared exempt from local body rates, the New Zealand Aero Club wrote stating that this would be so strongly! opposed by all the rating, authorities that there would be.no possibility of

having the request met. In the case of the Hawera club, it was recommended that, application be made for a special valuation as a sporting body under the Valuation of Land Act, which would have the effect of reducing the rates by half.

RATES ON AERODROMES Air Walkley said the attitude of most local bodies in the matter w-as in no way helpful yet if the aerodromes had been State owned no rates would be paid at all. On the suggestion of the president

it was resolved as a recommendation to the club that application be madefor a revaluation of the aerodrome property. Messrs J. A. Walker and F. Litchfield were admitted to pilot membership. It was resolved as a recommendation to clubs that a complete set of nowaviation maps prepared by the Government he procured for the use of pilot

members. The resignation of Mr G. Doust as an employee of the federation was accepted. No action was taken in a request for the financial assistance of the West Coast (South Island) United Flying Club, the chairman remarking that the federation, owing to the number of crashes experienced, was “equally as hard up.”

1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 Flying hours — 1104 926 1234 906 £ £ £ £ £ Subsidy earned . 250 220 270 292 412 Kevenue, excluding levies 1704 2539 1800 3068 2283 Kevenue from Clubs: £ £ £ £ £ Now Plymouth ••• 774 584 597 1166 744 Hawera 2Sk 171 230 556 252 Wanganui 268 1056 6<J3 928 805 Feildine 66 14 66 — Manawatu 65 323 — — Crashes 236 169 814 1061 Ordinary repairs — 135 165 288 262 Levies 3000 — — — 300