The Aviation World

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 5 (Supplement)

The Aviation World

MY AILERON

AUCKLAND AERO CLUB NEWS | I

A complete overhaul of the Moth aeroplane purchased in Sydney recently for the Auckland' Aero Club has been commenced by the ground staff at the club's aerodrome at Mangere. The work is likely to occupy a considerable time. Ultimately, the machine will be painted orango to be in keeping with the rest of the club's fleet. The Moth, which is known at Mangere as VH-UIR, although its New Zealand registration of ZK-ADG has been announced, has done about 1400 hours' flying. Its equipment includes slots, airwheels, and a compass. The cost, landed at Auckland, was about £450. Some fast flying, not altogether devoid of incident, was dono last week by Mr. E. F. Harvie, owner of the blue sports Avian. A complete overhaul of the machine was finished by Mr. Harvie on Thursday week, and the craft was inspected by the ground engineer, Mr. F. A. N. North aud certified as airworthy. Early 011 tho following morning Mr. Harvie left Mangere for Hamilton, where he picked up one of the well-known wrestlers who had a mutch arranged to take place in Dunedin last Saturday night. The flight was without incident past New Plymouth, Wellington and Cape Campbell, but 20 miles further south a thick, low-lying fog was encountered, compelling Mr. Harvie to turn back to Blenheim, where he landed. Incidents During Southern Trip The trip was continued last Saturday, when better conditions prevailed, enabling the machine to reach Christchurch without difficulty. Further south, however, the weather proved even worse than that of the previous day, and it was impossible to negotiate the hills between Palmerston South and the Otago Club's aerodrome at Mosgiel, on account of snow, rain and fog. After climbing to 4000 ft. in a vain effort to get through, Mr. Harvie was compelled to turn back to Waikouaiti, 26 miles north of Dunedin, where he made a landing. The passenger made the rest of tho journey to Dunedin by road, and was in time for his match. As the weather was promising to become worse for flying, Mr. Harvie decided to move to Oamaru, but after he had been in the air for about ten minutes, the engine commenced misfiring. Fortunately, it showed no signs of actually stopping, and the pilot pushed on to Timaru, where he knew he could obtain service for the engine. He landed safely, and an inspection revealed a cracked intake manifold. This defect had resulted in such a weak mixture that the motor would not run evenly, but a spare part was procured and fitted without delay. Average of 135 Miles an Hour After picking up his passenger, another wrestler, on Sunday, Mr. Harvie flew to Christchurch, and on Monday he covered the distance from Christchurch to Mangere in 5 hours 20 minutes. On the first hop, from Christchurch to Benheim, the machine averaged 135 miles an hour, assisted by a southerly gale. The pilot was unable to land at New Plymouth, on account of a 60-mile-an-hour wind, and so continued to Hamilton, where he landed with only sufficient fuel for half an hour's flying. After re-fuelling, he took off again for Mangere, and lauded without incident. A number of other cross-country flights have been undertaken in club machines in the last few days. The instructor, Flight-Lieutenant D. M, Allan, took Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth, the noted explorer, to Taumarunui in the Puss Moth last Saturday morning, and on Thursday he made a trip to Waihi, to inspect a ground where it is hoped to hold a pageant later. On Sunday Mr. G. M. Owen flew to New Plymouth and back, while Mr. F. B. Cadman went to Whangarei by air during the week. The club's two instructors, FlightLieutenants D. M. Allan and W. H. Lett, will attend a refresher course at Sockburn next month. The course will commence on October 21, and will extend over Bix days. For the week ended September 7, club machines were in the air for nearly 25 hours. At Mangere, the figure was 14 hours 20 minutes, consisting of dual, 3 hours 55 minutes; hire, 5 hours 15 minuteq; passenger, >4 hours" 50 minutes; test, 20 minutes. The Te Rapa total was 10 hours 30 minutes, made up of dual, 3 hours 35 minutes; hire, 5 hours 20 minutes; test, 1 hour 35 minutes. f New members elected at a meeting of the committee this week are Mr. W. H. Kidd, pupil, and Mr. A. E. Cookson, associate. AUOKLAND-BUILT CRAFT Two local flying enthusiasts who recently completed building a singleseater light monoplane in a workshop in Newton, Messrs. R. G. Ouston and A. K. Cook, have decided not to test the machine in Auckland as they originally intended, but to ship it to Melbourne shortly. Mr. Ouston explained this week that the machine had been built at a cost of about £3OO, and that it was hoped to have it flown in Melbourne during the Centenary celebrations. If they proceeded with their scheme of having it tested in the Dominion, however, so much time would be , spent in complying with official requirements governing experimental aircraft that tho monoplane j would probably arrive in Melbourne too late. It had been hoped to carry out taxiing tests last week-end, and the machine was taken to Muriwai Beach on Saturday for that purpose. Some time was spent on Sunday morning in attending to the rigging, and when the craft was ready for the tests, heavy rain made it necessary to abandon them, 'lhe monoplane was therefore towed back to Auckland. BRITISH TERRITORIAL SQUADRON Officers and men of the three Londonbased squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force which are to be eq nipped with two-seater fighters in place of singloongined bombers are beginning training in fighter technique at once. Reequipment with Hawker " Demon " biplanes will start as soon as possible.' The pilots will be instructed in the science of aerial combat and in modern methods of attack devised to ensure economical use of fighter strength against big hostile formations. The observer-gunner, who in a bomber fights his gun on the defensivo, will study the subtle and important differences in action demanded of a craft whoso task is to attack other aircraft. Noncommissioned ranks will find their routine duties changed. A new type of aeroplane will need maintenance and care. A new form of stand-by routine, demanding quicker working than correspondine bomber routine must be practised. Fighter squadrons included in the London defences are kept in readiness 011 the ground till the approach of raiders is reported. They then go aloft in haste, climbing hard to intercept tho enemy, making use of every splitsecond of the valuable and all too few minutes needed by modern bombers for the passage from the coast to London. 60 miles away. Single-seater fighter souadrons have reached a stage of efficiency where an entire unit ascends for the chase within a minute of tho alarm. Two-seater fighter squadrons are expected to be little, if any, slower.