25-stone Girl Wants to Fly

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 149, 25 June 1937, Page 11

25-stone Girl Wants to Fly

FINDS SHE IS TOO BIG TO LEARN Friendless, loveless—because the weighs twenty-five stonje—r-Miss Burge, of Ashford, England, decided that flying would give her a new interest in life. So she turned up at Henworth Flying School to have her first lesson. Bewildered and chivalrous instructors looked at Miss Burge and then at their aeroplanes. She was given a flying helmet and goggles, but after much discussion. was told that she was tOb big t 6 be able to learn to fly. It was impossible for her to squeeze into the ’plane’s cockpit, and, even If she could have done so, she could not have worked the controls. Air Ministry flying regulations were consulted, and it was found that Miss Burge was nearly 4st. overweight for the standard Moth flying machine. “We cannot teach you YiTflyHiefe,’’’ said Mr Green, an official' of the flying school. “I am afraid there is not a ’plane in England which is big enough tor you to have dual controls." This is thß second occasion on which Miss Burge has tried to learn to fly. “They told me I was too big when I came here before, she said. “I wrote to them and asked if they had got a ’plane for me, and soon afterwards an aircraft company wrote saying they had a bomber which would be just the thing for me. They must have thought I wanted to buy it. “I am an only girl in our family, and have five brothers. “Since I was eight, when I weighted Sst., I have put on exactly ono stone each year. “I need nine yards of material to make myself a dress, am COin round the hips, sSin. round the chest, ISin round the neck and 22in. round tho calf. ‘ ‘My size nine shoes have to be specially made and my stockings are made to order. “I sleep in an iron bedstead, once at the cinema I fell through a seat." Although Miss Burge is a professional pianist and singer, her ambition is to learn to fly and get on the films. “I am heart-broken," she -'■id,, “at not being able to get into a ’plane cockpit. “People laugh at me, being so fat, so 1 am trying to get on the films. When I inako enough money I shall buy a ’piano of my own. “If I could get a pair of trousers big enough, I would be a man. My hair is alrt dy cropped and I love men’s work. I have no friends. “I have never had a bov friend in my