TRAINER AEROPLANES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22615, 31 December 1936, Page 10

TRAINER AEROPLANES

GOVERNMENT'S PURCHASE IMPROVED TYPE ORDERED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The New Zealand Government has altered its order for four Miles Hawk trainer aeroplanes for issue on loan to aero clubs for training pilots to one for four machines of the same name, but improved type, according to cabled advice received from England by Mr. John M. Gamble, New Zealand agent for Phillips and Powis, Limited. Since the original order was placed some weeks ago improvements have been made to the type in consultation with the Air Ministry. The Miles Hawk trainer as now ordered differs from that recently imported by the Wellington Aero Club and those originally ordered by the Government in having full sets of instruments in both cockpits instead of only one. It is thus well suited to training pilots in blind flying. Provision is made for fitting a hood over the rear cockpit so that the_ pupil is unsighted for practice in flying by instruments alone. The machine also has a wider undercarriage than the type first decided upon, being similar in this respect to the Miles Whitney Straights ordered for survey and inspection work by the Public Works Department and for the advanced training of pilots by the Canterbury Aero Club. It also has a tail wheel instead of a skid.

Delivery of now machines can be given at tho works in about three months. It will thus be about four months before the aeroplanes are in New Zealand.