Aviation Activities At MILSON and ELSEWHERE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIX, Issue 7439, 14 April 1934, Page 8

Aviation Activities At MILSON and ELSEWHERE

The weather this week has been, quite good for flying, but a number of the pilots arc out of town at present, consequently- only 14 hours’ flying,lui.bren (lone. ABA is also missed verymuch, as ABV is now being used for dual instruction. Tho club was fortunate in having two machines, and fly-ing can 5,.i1l go on while ABA is being rebuilt. Mr AA'. Eodden, who met with hi., mishap last week, was in the air again on the following evening, and apart from abrasions ho seems to have suffered no ill effects. Manawatu's First Ambulance Caso A Manawatu Club 'plane was requisitioned as an ambulance for the first time on March 31. when Mrs Morris, of Feilding, was flown to AVellington by the club captain, Mr H. C. AA’alker, to undergo an operation. Tho ’plane was met at Eongotai by- Dr. Levy, who conveyed Mrs Morris by car to hospital, where he performed the operation. This method of conveying a patient is proving very popular in other parts and is certainly”the fastest and smoothest menus of transporting a sick person, and we arc confident that aeroplanes will bo more frequently used for this purpose, in this district in the near future. There have been no visitors to Milson aerodrome this week and no crosscountry flights have been made.. The congratulations of the clue are extended to Mr C. T. P. Ufm on the successful completion of another trails Tasman air-mail flight, and the 1 requency of these flights cannot fail to bring home tho importance of every town having an up-to-date airport . m readiness for the not far-distant time

when air-mail services will operate daily throughout this country. Muni-, cipal airports aro being established in every town cf any size in New Zealand, and even smaller towns, the finest to own a municipal aerodrome being Motnnka, theirs being officially opened last. week. Centenary Air Race The latest entrant for the greatest event in aviation of late years is the Italian, Captain Oswaldo Baldi, the winner of the Bibesco cup for 1933. Captain Baldi proposes to fly a Caproir tow-whig cantilever monoplane. Oi this line of aircraft the two latest productions nro the “Souro, ’’ a two-place (passenger) monoplane, and the “125,” a two-place biplane. The standard power plants of both machines is a Farina T. 58 engine, of 130 li.p., and which gives the “Souro” a, top speed of 140 m.p.h., aiul the “125” slightly higher at 150 m.p.h. It is probable, therefore, that Captain Baldi’s machine will" be fitted with a higher-pow-ered engine, a.s tho average speed is quoted at 200 m.p.h. Standard equipment for Caproni aircraft is a duralumin Iwo-bladc airscrew, the pitch of which is adjustable on the ground. There is a fireproof bulkhead between the engine and the passenger's seat, which is forward of the pilot's cockpit. Space is provided for the fitting of two back type para chutes. The machine lias dual coil trol and it is possible to disconnect the front controls i:i flight. The undercarriage lias a wide wheel track, on suring exceptional safety when landing or manoeuvring on the ground. The wheels are fitted with Olco shockabsorbers.