SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21893, 31 August 1934, Page 8

SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT

HOME-BUILT MONOPLANE entry for centenary race NOT NOW TO TAKE PART A New Zealand-made aeroplane that was originally intended for the Centenary air race from London to Melbourne was flown from Churchill, near Rangiriri, to Hobsonville yesterday morning. The pilot was Mr. Ernest Everson, a To ELauwhata motor mechanic formerly resident in Auckland, who, with his brother, Mr. Arthur Everson, and his employer, Mr. Ivan Waugh, of Te Kamvhata, completed building the aeroplane in May, after about 11 months', work. A though the craft, a single-seater monoplane, was originally entered for the Centenary race, and the entry accepted, it would not take part as vari. > ous formalities could not be completed in time, said Mr. E. Everson after hiu flight yesterday. He had flown tho machine to Hobsonville with a view to obtaining a certificate of airworthiness, and as the official examination would take considerable time, it would be too lato to proceed with the original scheme of taking part in the Centenary race, always supposing that the certificate were granted. If the machine passed the forthcoming tests satisfactorily, I however, he had future plans for its use. The permission of the Director of Air Services, Squadron-Leador T. M. Wilkes, was necessary before the flight could be made yesterday, as the machine is not yet licensed. The trip occupied an hour, after the pilot had circled Mangere aerodrome and passed over the city. Mr. Everson took off shortly before 8 a.m. and the machine cruised at 70 miles an hour at about 3030 ft. Before landing at Hobsonville, Mr. E verson flew round the neighbourhood of the aerodrome for a short time, la tiding just an hour after he took off. Mr. Everson said- that the machine behaved particularly well. The two engines gave no trouble, and on its first flight the monoplane proved as control as earlier testa had indicated. He had found that the machine would not only maintain height, but would actually climb with one of its two engines stopped. The aeroplane was designed by the Everson brothers, and was tested toward the end of May. Its cruising speed if, about 80 miles an hour and sufficient petrol is carried for about 400 miles' flying. It is possible, however, to fit tanks giving a range of about 2000 miles. There are two Bristol Cherub Mark 111. engines, each of 42 horsepower. The frame is of spruce, covered with the usual " doped " fabric. The raachine cost alwut £250 to build.