AIRCRAFT INSPECTOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23340, 4 November 1937, Page 9

AIRCRAFT INSPECTOR

TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND FOR PHILLIPS AND POWIS FORMERLY OF PALMERSTON NORTH 'From Oub Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Oct. 9. A visitor to New Zealand by the Rangitata, which is due at Auckland on November 17, will be Mr Norman Hodgson, formerly of Palmerston North. Mr Hodgson is to travel throughout the Dominion to inspect aeroplanes sent out by Messrs Phillips and Powis. aircraft contractors to the British Air Ministry and dominion and foreign Governments, who recently built four Magister Hawks for the New Zealand Air Force. The Magister Hawk is the latest low-winged monoplane in the world, and the first of the type to be used generally as a trainer One of its many features is that it can spin with absolute safety. It has been adopted as the standard training machine by the British Government, whose orders, together with those of special reserve training schools in England, total 200. The machines to be sent to New Zealand are identical with the planes ordered for use in the British Royal Air Force. The designer is Mr F. G. Miles, managing director of Phillips and Powis, who has had the assistance of his wife, also a designer and pilot. The Magister is a development from the Hawk, which they planned and built about four years ago. Several machines had been' sent previously to New Zealand from Reading. Since they were despatched there ijave been some improvements to the monoplane, and in order that New Zealand shall be fully informed of these changes the company is sending out Mr Hodgson, who is regarded as one of their best inspectors. Mr Hodgson will remain a few months in New Zealand and will bring back a detailed report to Mr Miles. It was the firm of Messrs Phillips and Powis that, with great reluctance, had to refuse an order for aeroplanes from New Zealand some time ago. At that time so many orders were being received that it was impossible for the company to cope with them. Now, however, the factory at Reading has been reorganised so that no fewer than 10 to 12 aeroplanes are being completed regularly every week. Mr Miles said yesterday that it had been a great disappointment to him to have to turn down the New Zealand order. " I am glad to say, however, that we shall not have to refuse any further orders should they be given," he said. " Our factory can now turn out any number that may be required." The success achieved by Mr Miles is one of the recent romances of the flying world. Some four years ago, he was a flying instructor with definite designing ideas of his own. The first Miles aeroplane was built at Reading in a small hangar. Today, Mr Miles is managing director of the Phillips and Powis Company, which is regarded as one of the major aircraft firms in Great Britain. It is backed by Rolls Royce and employs a thousand hands. It was Mr Miles who was responsible for the opening at Reading of one of the first air stations with sales and service for private owners, together with an instructional school. In 1935 a public company was formed and £125,000 was asked for. Over £1,000.000 was offered in a few minutes. That year Mr Miles won the prize for the fastest time in the King's Cup race in a machine designed by his wife. Other Miles , machines took first, second and third olaces. The Miles series of aeroplanes in eludes the machine.in which H. L Brooks set up a record EnglandAustralia flight in 1935. His firm has specialised in the moderate priced plane, and the improvements in designs which Mr and Mrs Miles have effected have been little short of revolutionary in the flying world. The latest trainer has a top speed of 300 m.p.h. and is powered with a Rolls Royce engine.