AERIAL THRILLS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17232, 11 April 1930, Page 6

AERIAL THRILLS

DISPLAY OF AEROBATICS LARGE CROWD AT MAKARAKA The large crowd of spectators who attended Makaraka racecourse yesterday afternoon to witness a display of aerobatics by one machine only served as an indication of flic success with which the proposed aero pageant would have 'been marked had it been possible to hold the meeting. Captain T. W. White gave a most 'interesting display of stunting with the Hawke's Bay and East Coast. Aero Club's Spartan machine, and later gave a number of passenger flights, some of his passengers electing to go through a few of the stunt.s which they had witnessed from the ground. During the afternoon a collection was taken up towards a fund for the provision of a temporary hangar for the protection of planes visiting Gisborne, and a satisfactory sum was realised. After a short trial flight, Captain White took off to give his first exhibition, and after climbing to a considerable height, put his machine into a spinning' nose-dive, and coming out of the spin, gave a display of a stunt known as the falling leaf, finishing up with a scries of half rolls. One of the most interesting events was a display of bombing, Captain White taking the air with four paper bags of flour as '''bombs." As the car, driven and occupied hy members of the club, careered over the ground', the plane swooped down upon it on four occasions and Captain White released his "bombs,-" which, when they struck the ground, produced a very realistic effect. Although no direct hit was scored, the last "bomb" landed within a yard oi? two of the front of the car, which would have been blown to pieces h,'ul the missiJe been the real thing, and two of the other "bombs" fell close enough to have done considerable damage.

A little later Captain White again ascended to a considerable altitude, looped-thc-loop four times in succession, following up this display with an exhibition of stalling and stall turns, and Immelmann turns, the latter being used in flying to gain height quickly. The concluding event was an exhibition of "crazy flying," in which Captain White put the machine through a series of thrilling evolutions at a very low altitude, doing all the movements that a pupil should not do. The-pilot showed how a pupil might' attempt to land across the wind and miss his landing, and also sideslipped the machine, flew with one wing-tip down, and did a number of flat or skid turns, turning the machine with the rudder, but- without banking the plane. It was hoped that Flying-Officer Olson, of the Hawke's Bay Club, would be able to participate in the display also, but as his visit depended upon the completion of the reconstruction of the club's Moth plane, and as .the repairs were still in progress yesterday, he was unable to fly to Gisborne.