CHARMED LIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23339, 6 May 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHARMED LIFE

Amazing Nerve of Young Test Pilot

pilot Geoffrey de Havilland, 29-years-old son of the famous aircraft designer, and John Cunningham sat in a wildly spinning experimental aeroplane and calmly debated, 3000 ft. above the ground, "Shall we'jump?"

floated gently to the ground; both he and Mr. de Havilland saw it hit a tree, crash through a fence, and break up as the engine caught fire. Since 1928 Mr. Geoffrey do Havilland has flown all types of new designs from tiny machines to Transatlantic Albatross giants. He became de Havilland chief test pilot a month after "Bob" Waight, chief tester, had been killed.

They did. They parachuted safely to earth a mile apart while the aeroplane crashed in flames. Geoffrey de Havilland, who is known in England as the man with a charmed life, had cheated death once more. "All In Day's Work" Within two hours both were in the air again carrying out tests with Service machines at Hatfield Aerodrome. Their joint comment was: "All in the day's work." Mr. Geoffrey de Havilland's brother, Mr. Peter de Havilland, said in an interview: "Tho machine ray brother, ■Who is de Havilland chief test pilot, and Mr. Cunningham were flying was an experimental machine about which one does not care to say too much at present.. It'had never been flown before. "Over Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, it , was put into a spin—part of its tests—and then "something went wrong. The pilots discussed whether they should jump and finally decided to °"Mr. Cunningham jumped first. brother followed him. The machine is a complete 'write-off' I'm afraid. "Mr Cunningham and my brother landed safely about a mile apart, came back to the aerodrome here at Hatfield, had luncheon, then carried on with their test flying." . . The falling aeroplane, still spinning, passed close to Mr. Cunningham as ho

In March last year he had a narrow escape from death when the retractable under-carriage of an Albatross he M'as testing became jammed. He circled the aerodrome for half-an-hour, made a perfect "pancake" landing at the third attempt. "Lucky me!" he remarked.

TRAGIC ENDING, VILLAGERS ON JOY-RIDE Mr. Richard Culpin, nged 67, died on his way to hospital at Nottingham, England, after a pony-trap in which ho and his son Edgar, aged 41. and granddaughters, Betty, aged seven, and Barbara, aged five, wore riding had crashed into a wall of the local public-house-in the njain street of Bottesford village, near Nottingham. Mr. Edgar Culpin was driving, when the horse, borrowed from a local farmer to give the family a joy-ride, bolted with the cart. The trap overturned, and ail four wore thrown out against t!it> wall.. Mr. Edgar Culpin and his two children were rushed to hospital with multiple injuries and shock.