airisms

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 235, 17 September 1934, Page 5

airisms

Last Saturday week s reconnaissance tests for H.B. and E.C. Aero Club pilots produced some divergent results Competitors had to locate the number of buildings within a given radius of the hangar. Most entrants over-estimated the length of the radial distance by a considerable margin. Final results gave Maurice Field first place with the club’s secretary, R. D. Brown, second and Jack Hall third. As a result of this R. I). Brown now’ leads the field for the efficiency trophy by a very small margin. Teddy Barker is second and R. M. Field third. Naw Pilot Member.

A new pilot member joined the club during last week. He is Jack Hall, from the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero dub. He has recently been transferred to Hawke’s Bay and should be an acquisition to the club. He is a particularly active pilot, having completed some 50 solo flying hours since last Christmas, when he obtained his “A” license. New Pupils, The club steadily continues to enrol new pupil members. It is obvious that the specially-reduced rates for tuition are attractive to many who hitherto have felt that learning to fly was just beyond their means. Any pupil member joining before the end of this month may still learn at the reduced rates. The new pupils include another prospective lady pilot, Miss J. Boyd. She is a sister of Nigel Boyd, of Wairoa, who obtained his '‘A” license with the club some months ago. Staff Vaoanoy. The Aero Club has had a reduction in its staff. The married couple who have been acting as caretakers at the ’drome recently tendered their resignation. The question of their replacement will receive attention at the next executive meeting. In the meantime there will be no facilities available at the clubhouse for members. Executive Meeting. A meeting of the executive committee has been called for Tuesday at 7.30 p.m. at the secretary’s office. The instructor’s report for August, which will be considered, shows a pleasing increase in the number of hours flown during the month, a total of 110 hours having been logged. This is partly due, no doubt, to the present reduced tuition rates. Donation of Firewood. The club has recently received another generous donation of a load of firewood through the good offices of Mr W. Munro, one of the club’s country supporters. The firewood question has been an ever-recurriug one at the clubhouse, but this welcome issue should ensure warmth for the remainder of the winter. Cross-Country Flights. The club’s machines have not been unduly übiquitous during the past week. In all only three cross-country flights were made, all to Gisborne. The instructor took the Desoutter last Monday to bring back two passengers to Napier and another two passengers were conveyed from Hastings to Gisborne on Friday. Later in the day the instructor made another trip to Gisborne to bring back a passenger. For this last trip ZK-AAB was used. On Saturday afternoon Miss Angus made her first cross-country flight. She and the instructor made a return trip to Danncvirko in ZK-ABB. Air ‘‘Cops.” Traffic control has arrived in the air in England, special precautions being detailed for pilots flying in cloud~un increasing technique with serious risks of collision In addition to the regulations enforced in the London-Conti-j ncntal airway area embracing the lliames estuary, Kent and sections of ■iiissex and Surrey, definite areas have , i.een allotted for cloud flying. It is ; further laid down that aircraft should be flown at a minimum height of 2000 feet when cloud flying, and below that altitude when cross-country flights are in progress. The regulations apply both to civil and R.A.F. machines.

U.S. Air Mails. The new Air Mail Bill has now oecn signed by the President of America. The law allows the P.M.G. to issue contracts for one year only. The awarding of contracts is controlled considerably. Inter alia:— New contracts must be awarded to the lowest bidder when adequate guarantee of fulfilment is assured. Unsuccessful tenderers may appeal to the Controller-General, whose decision is final. No holder of an air mail contract may be interested in any other aviation project. Inter-connected boards of directors and holding companies are forbidden. There is a limit on the emolument of high officials. No company may have more than three air mail contracts nor carry mail on more than one primary route. The basic remuneration must not be more than 3'31 cents per aeroplane mile for loads up to 3001 b. For heavier loads the maximum rate is 40 cents. The President seems to have given the ail mail racketeer a considerable hurdle to negotiate. Heard on the Tarmac.

On a recent trip in an Imperial Airways liner a photographer secured a remarkable picture of the Himalayas from a distance of over 200 miles by the infra-red process. When a print of this photograph was shown to one “sweet young thing” her remark was: “But how silly 1 Why ever didn’t they get closer?” Blame for Weather.

Other pupils of the club feel that Pat Blundell is partly to blame for the recent bad weather during which flying instruction had to be suspended. A movement is afoot to have him debarred from coming up to Hastings for instruction unless he can produce a certificate from the weather man to the effect that good flying conditions will be guaranteed throughout his stay.