THE AUCKLAND AEROPLANE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2978, 12 April 1911, Page 60

THE AUCKLAND AEROPLANE.

A FLIGHT THAT FAILED. iThom Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, April 6. Such of the public as have journeyed to the flying grounds at Papakura in the hope of seeing the Walsh aeroplane go up have meetly been greatly disappointed. The occasions upon which it has left the ground haye been few, and have in almost every case been those when hardly anybody was about. A few weeks ago a special flight for the benefit of the public was announced, but during some early morning trials the machine fell and was damaged, so the promised flight had to be abandoned, and the numerous people who journeyed to see it left, .disappointingly reviling the independability of aeroplanes. For some days past the machine has been on exhibition at the flying grounds at a Tate of adm's-ion per head to assist the syndicate of owners to recover some oi the expense it had incurred in its experiments. Yesterday that exhibition closed, and to mark the occasion a flight afternoon was~~held. Attracted by the prospect of a possible sensation, a score or more of people were present. The machine was iu the hands of Mr V. Walsh, an almost youthful pilot, who showed that he had acquired a very good control over the engine and the movements of the various parts of the machine. Unfortunately, the Manurewa, or "Gliding Bird," practically declined to fly. It was quite uued to "rolling" practice, and very willingly ran about the big paddock, squiittng clouds of white smoke from its exhause pipes, and making a fine noise, and evidently had a good mind to "get off the earth" to avoid the bumpy passage caused by the u.nevenness of the ground. Now and then, coaxed by the pilot, it turned up its nose (if one may so describe the tilting of the elevator plane), and hopped slowly from the grass to a height of sometimes a few inches, sometimes a foot or more, and settled quickly down again upon the comparatively safe ea.rth a chain or so further on. In one run three short "hops" were effected. Only once did the hop develop into anything- approaching real flight, and then the machine rose a good 10ft, or perhaps 15ft, and glided about 50 yards. Then it came down somewhat abruptly. The skid under the tail of the frame struck the ground first, and the whole chassis landed with a bump. The shock broke a couple of the wire stays, and the day's flying ended with the first real approach to flgiht. The conditions for an exhibition were very good, as only a very faint but steady breeze was blowing, but there was evidentty something the matter with the machine. The experts blamed the propeller, which was a home-made article, and pointed out that it took the machine all its time to leave the ground when the engine was going full speed. The demonstration was disappointing as a spectacle.