MOTH AEROPLANES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3859, 28 February 1928, Page 25

MOTH AEROPLANES.

AIACHINE PURCHASED FOR AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, February 23. A Moth two-seater aeroplane, the first of its type to be brought to New Zealand, will arrive in Auckland by the Alataroa for Mr Douglas Alili, of Remuera, who purchased the machine on behalf of a local private company during his recent visit to England. According to Mr Alill, the aeroplane will most probably be unpacked and assembled immediately and placed on public view in the city until the company he is forming Is registered and able to proceed with its objects of photographic and commercial flying. Should business warrant it, further Moths and larger machines will be imported and used by the company, which will have its headquarters and airfield in the vicinity of Auckland. The Moth arriving to-day is a regular standardised model sold for £650 in England,'or roughly the price of a good touring motor car. With a maximum load of 15501 b, including two people, the machine is guaranteed to travel 100 miles an hour at ground level and 97 at 5000 ft. The re.markable improvements made in these light aeroplanes by British engineers and designers within the last two years have greatly popularised private flying in England, explained Mr ALII in an interview. Their cost has fallen over 30 per cent., and so placed them within th r means of the average car owner. It is no exaggeration to say that the air above England is literallj black with Aloths. So much flying is done in England now by civilians and the Air Force that a machine in flight attracts no attention wliatsovcr, and it is impossible to scare cattle and sheep, so accustomed have they become to the sight and drone of aeroplanes. “I am anxious to found an aero club along the lines of those in England. With only a small membership a Aloth could be purchased and u.ied by the club. In time, if sufficient interest is taken in the movement a permanent instructor could be engaged. The Government of any country always looks to private enterprise to develop new moans of transport, and once an aero club is formed in New Zealand I predict rapid development in flying, especially with light machines like the Aloth.”