FLYING IN AUCKLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21855, 18 July 1934, Page 14

FLYING IN AUCKLAND

CLUB'S WIDER ACTIVITIES INCREASE OF MEMBERSHIP TRAINING IN COUNTRY AREAS A profit of £29 on the past year's operations is-revealed in , the sixth annual balance-sheet of the Auckland Aero Club, which, with the report, will be presented at the annual meeting this month. Tho previous year closed with a profit of £'s9, but a loss of £395 was recorded at tho end of tho 1931-32 period. The strong financial position of the club is being maintained in spite of the difficult times, tho report states. The bank overdraft at tho end of the year was greater by £723 than at the end of tho previous year, but this was more than accounted for by a capital expenditure of over £llOO, covering .such items as tho purchase of an additional aeroplane, four spare wings and a woodworking machine and tho laying down of a nine-hole golf course and general ground improvements. The pupil and pilot section, Mangere, shows a profit of £199 for the year, the principal items of revenue being £1328 from hire of machines, £717 from instruction fees, £316 from subscriptions, and £174 from one of the two New Zealand Herald Aviation Scholarships. The Mangere flying section account closed with a profit of £293 for the year. The receipts in this section totalled £1263, passenger flights bringing in £7,46 and displays £192. The Waikato division account reveals a profit of £IOO. Instruction fees totalled £1094, hire of machines £348, the proceeds of tho second aviation scholarship were £202, and passenger flying accounted for £lßl. An increase of 48 in membership is recorded in tho report. Associate members increased from 506 to 539 during tho year, and pilots from 66 to 83. Tho year. opened with 60 pupils and closed with SS.

No further improvements of importance were found necessary at Mangere, the report adds. At the To Kapa aerodrome, Hamilton, power lines were removed, the fence-line set back and the hangar accommodation improved. The plant was kept in good condition, tho machines being operated at the end of tho year being a Puss Moth and five Moths, two of which are on loan from the Government. In addition to carrying out instruction at Mangere and Tc Kapa, tho club trained pupils at Te Aroha, To Kuiti, Tauranga and Whakatane. Tho standard of flying remained high, 23 pupils gaining their "A" licences during the period. One pilot qualified for a "B" licence, while four others obtained their endorsed "A" licences. The year's flying totalled 2350 hours 25 minutes, a substantial advance 011 the figure of 1475 hours 20 minutes for the 1932-33 period. ■ Reference is made in the report to the death of the president, Mr. E. R. Boucher, following a crash near Wellington in March. It is stated that a heavy loss was suffered in tho unfortunate termination of Mr. Boucher's long and valuable service to the club and to aviation in general.