AVIATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 64, 2 March 1929, Page 8

AVIATION

By

“Prop”

(By the Invisible Pilot.! TO AN AVIATOR. *fou who have grown so intimate with stars And known their silver dripping from your wings, Trod with the breaking day across the sky, Known kinship with each meteor that swings— You who have touched the rainbow’s fragile gold, Carved lyric ways through dawn and dusk and rain And soared to heights our hearts have only dreamed— How can you walk earth’s common ways again? —D. W. Hicky. INSTRUCTION IN FLYING. The following will give a general idea of the system of practical flying instruction to be given to trainees of the Hawke’s Bay Aero Club. The sequence is the outcome of, the recent special instructor’s course held in Sockburn and is calculated to be the most simple, and practical method or teaching the art of flying. Firstly, instruction will be given on the ground upon the use of earphones. the use of which forms the best method of communication between instructor and pupil. Following this a flight must bo taken for the purpose of accustoming the pupil to the sensation of flying and the use of earphones while in the air. Next comes instruction and practice in the effect of the individual controls ih the following sequence: Rudder for directional control, i.e., left rudder to turn to the left and right rudder to turn to the right. (The rudder is operated by the feet.) Having found the use of the rudder, the next control to master is the elevator, which, operated by easing the central control column slightly forward or back, guides .the machine into a gliding or climbing angle, or, if held in the neutral position, maintains the level flying path. The next is the use of the ailerons, which, if operated by the movement of the control column to either side, gives the machine “bank” to the side towards which the control is moved. Bank is necessary .a manoeuvring a turn and must be applied to the side tn which it is desired to turn. The control column is operated by one hand only, usually the right hand. After the pupil has grasped the use of the various controls he must be given instruction in straight and level flying, which entail the joint use of all controls.

Then follows climbing and gliding, the best angles of which are guaged by the position of the nose of the machine on the horizon as it appears to the pupil with relation to the level flying position. Stalling is the next in order. This demonstrates the feel of the controls and machine generally and teaches the pupil to know one of the most critical positions he may find himself

The stage is now reached where taking off, approaching the ground, and landings must be practiced. These are continued together with the -rest of the varying stages of instruction until the pupil flies solo. Turns up to 45 degrees are then practiced after which comes gliding turns. When these are perfected, turns over 45 degrees are indulged

Most machines, after having been stalled, will get into a spinning nosedive and it is at this stage that spinning and recovery from spinning is taught. When the pupil has mastered spinning and recovery from spinning, except for added practice, he has practically mastered the art of ordinary flying as well a s having gained confidence in himself.

Lessons in side-swpping follow. Bank is applied to either side and the machine slides downwards tq the side that bank is applied, thus losing height rapidly without gaining speed or distance Over the ground. Sideslipping is a preparatory step to forced landings, where the pupil is taught to land in the nearest available field.

If the instructor is satisfied with the pupil’s progress up to thia point, the first solo flight may take place. After a few hours’ solo. B further period of instruction must ho given to correct any faults the piinil mav have developed. This takes the nupil to the stage of the “A” pilot's Certificate.

Maior T, M. Wilkes. Director of Air Services, is shortly to leave for England to take up liaton duties between the Royal Air Force and the New Zealand Permanent Al r Force for twelve months We wish him a good trip a good —Fresher course time and happy landings.

The Auckland Aero Club will be holding a pageant in about two months’ time. Judging hv the nep their instructor. Maior Cowper, possesses it onerht to be a real good show. Tt has keen suggested that aerial nageants in Hawke's Ba- and Marlborough shonld follow. thereafter to be annual events.

During the recent instructors’ course st Sockhnrn a number of old Roral Firing Corns songs were re. vivod Unfortunately they are not pubb'shahle.

The official opening day of the Hawke’s Bav Aero Club has keen oostpened to a date to be announced Tatar. Tn snite of the delay there will be many novel, amusing and interesting items Of course, everybody wilt be there. There, will be nlenty of rubber-necks about that day. It is good to know that the Minister of Defence is a keen supporter of aviation. The club needs another hanoar spy bonsi n " its second punching, and this one will have to h- Tanner in di. signs to accommodate a number of machines from other chibs which will ho visitin'- Haw l - ’- Bar |n fh. .. .... future Who w’ll Rain us in kind or bv siibsnr'ntir.e v Yon might to see the snlondid hangars o' the Auckland and. Mrilhoroujih dubs. At Sockhnrn recently. Captain windin’- suffered a ho-rl attack wb-n ho saw a machine n-roori’--’ wi’-tly "hoiit tho bine uithout a pilot. Unfortunately from bis nosition be was nnahlo to got a liird’s-evn vleuy o f the Hawke’s Bay Aero Club's in. stmetor somewhere down under, tangled up amongst the controls.