LATE MRS AROHA BRUSTAD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 313, 2 December 1933, Page 12

LATE MRS AROHA BRUSTAD.

A REMARKABLE CAREER. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 30. Mrs Mary Lucy Arolia Brustad, who, as Aliss Aroha Clifford, was well known throughout New Zealand as the first woman to gain her pilot’s license through an aero club, whose death occurred to-day, succumbed to pneumonia in Amuri Hospital, Rotherham. Mrs Brustad was the youngest daughter of Mr and the late Mrs Walter Clifford, Garden Road, Fendalton, and a niece of the late Sir George Clifford. She was born in Wellington, and received her education at St. Mary’s Convent, Colombo Street, Christchurch, and at Ascot Convent, England. While still in her early teens she became keenly interested in winter sports and alpine climbing. She was a very frequent visitor to The Hermitage, Mount Cook, and she became an expert slri-er and One of the most notable of her exploits in this region was the “round trip” over Copland Pass (7400 feet) to Waiho and back to The Hermitage by way of Graham’s Saddle (8739 feet), a journey that called for great endurance and experience. She was accompanied on this trip by Air Alf Brustad, then guide at The Hermitage, whom she married in 1931. Airs Brustad was the first pupil instructed by the Canterbury Aero Club, in Alay, 1920, a month or two after the club’s inception. She flew solo for the first time in June, and was granted her “A” license when under the age of 21 by Ala jor L. Al. Isitt, the examiner, on August 5. After some experience of cross-coun-try flying in New Zealand she went to England in 1931. While there she spent three months at the De Havilland factory, taking a private ownership course in mechanics. She was at this time a member of the London Aero Club, and did a considerable amount of flying from the Stag Lane Aerodrome. She purchased a machine of her own, a Puss Alotli, and this she brought back to New Zealand with her. It was later acquired by the New Zealand Permanent Air Force, which now uses it for aerial survey work. Aire Brustad resumed her flying on her return to New Zealand, and she was the first woman to pilot an aeroplane over Cook Strait in a flight from Wellington to Christchurch. After her marriage to Mr Brustad in September, 1931, she gave up active flying, although she maintained a keen interest in the activities of the Canterbury Aero Club. Mr Brustad was stationed ir. Christchurch as an alpine guide and winter sports tutor until two or three months ago, when he purchased a farm. Air and Airs Brustad settled in the Waiau district only two or three weeks ago.