LEARNING TO FLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20323, 2 August 1929, Page 16

LEARNING TO FLY.

Sir, —The remarks of Sir Joseph Ward, when speaking in the House of Representatives during the discussion on the Compulsory Military Service Repeal Bill, may be inclined to convey to the public a wrong impression as to the cost of learning to fly. In view of the little flying which has taken placo in the Dominion Sir Joseph has evidently not had an opportunity of being fuliy. advised as to the cost of tuition The Auckland Aero Club has to date trained a number of pupils, the first seven having been recently examined bv the Director of Air Services for their flying licences. As each of these obtained his licence very creditably the club is now in a position to make a statement as to the cost of training. The average cost of this is between £33 and £35 per pupil—this varying naturally with the aptitude ot the individual trainee. Such education can scarcely be considered costly owing to the fart that each pilot has at his firmer tips what amounts to a profession, which would possibly provide him in other parts of the world with an occupation, and which will no doubt in the near future offer prospects within our own Dominion Regarding the cost of flying, licensed pilot members of the club may now hire a machine for .L2 per hour; this means, for exair.p'e. that they can fly to New Plymouth with a passenger in about two hours at a cost of approximately £4, as against nearly double this amount travelling by road, and apart altogether from the fact that the journey by plane would occupy only about one-fifth of the time. The question as to whether money should be provided for aerial defence is a mo;,, important one. and in considering this it should be remembered that not. very long ago our country was called upon to make sacrifices, and did so, irrespective of whether such sacrifices were too costly or not, and that what may prove a relatively small expenditure now will result in the Dominion keeping moderately up to date with the aerial activities of other countries. L. W: Swan. Secretary, Auckland Aero Club.