"FLYING DOCTOR"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22566, 9 May 1935, Page 15

"FLYING DOCTOR"

PILOT'S LICENSE SUSPENDED ' ALLEGED RECKLESSNESS (Feom Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 1. The "Flying Doctor" of the Northern Territory has become a national figure. Time and again he has burst into the main news pages of the southern newspapers by some hazardous or arduous flight in his small Moth plane into the remote areas of North Australia to bring succour in a few hours to eick and injured who otherwise would have been without expert treatment for days or even weeks. Many a patient he has loaded on his plane and brought to Darwin. Many a time he has made a night flight in the most dangerous circumstances to carry out his duties. Many take-offs and landings have been made under conditions that would have made the average airman's hair stand on end.

The "Flying Doctor" is Dr C. C. Fenton, a young Sydney-trained graduate. He is doing a notable and noble work, and the Commonwealth Government recognises it by giving him a subsidy for his plane. Judge of the consternation, therefore, when a few days ago it was announced that Dr Fenton's pilot's license had been suspended and his plane's certificate or airworthiness had been cancelled by the Darwin representative of the Civil Aviation Department. The chief allegation against Dr Fenton was that he flew low over Darwin and swooped down over the town's open-air picture show, causing fear, it Avas alleged, among the audience, many of whom were aborigines and half-castes. It was officially stated that Dr Fenton would be for " repeated breaches of the air navigation regulations" by low flying, stunting, and dangerous 'flying generally, including night flying without lights. "I am forced to take action," said the inspector of aircraft in Darwin (Mr E. Bunting). "When Dr Fenton's alleged breaches of the regulations were brought to my notice I communicated with him. He replied by telegram discourteously and frivolously. I asked him to withdraw, and sought an amicable discussion of the matter, which Dr Fenton was not prepared to agree to. Accordingly I had no alternative but to take action."

"I have been accused of reckless flying," eaid-Dr Fenton. "All my flying in this country is necessarily reckless on account of the impossible nature of the country over which I have to fly, and the hazardous nature of the landing grounds available in the Northern Territory at present. Doubtless, if the department's representatives witnessed my landing and take-off at a cattle station on my last trip, he would have cancelled my licence on the spot for reckless (lying. I "have been accused by the department of discourtesy to their Darwin representative. Their action in issuing statements to the press about the reasons for the suspension of ray licence without officially informing me is also a gross discourtesy to me. Upon my arrival in Darwin, I found myself the only person who was unaware of the reason for the suspension." Dr Fenton's latest feat was typical of many others he had performed. The manager of a remote gold mine was taken seriously ill, and was taken to a cattle station about 20 miles from Pine Creek. A request for assistance was sent to Dr Fenton, who left Pine Creek and was over the cattle station a few minutes later. The clearing at the station was at the bottom of a basin in the hills. Dr Fenton had great difficulty in lauding. His only approach to the ground was up a gully, but the wind blowing into the gully prevented his plane from descending normally, and, after several attempts, he had to come down in a side slip. He stopped his plane on the edge of a depression that would have been dangerous had he entered it. Dr Fenton decided that the patient needed hospital attention, and that he would fly him to Darwin. Even greater difficulty was experienced in taking oft' from the ground, and station employees spent some time clearing away more scrub to make the take-off practicable. The ring of hills about the ground caused the trouble. Eventually the take-off was accomplished. Dr Fenton reached Darwin with his patient.