AVIATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 16, 19 January 1914, Page 3

AVIATION.

FLIGHT IN THE BRITANNIA. [Pkh Panes Association.] Auckland, January 18.. The initial flight in New Zealand of the Bieriot monoplane Britannia, which was presented to the Defence Forces, was made at Epsom yesterday afternoon by Lieut. J. J. Hammond, of the 11 oval Flying Corps. For a quarter of an hour ho had the machine iu the air, thoroughly testing it as a preliminary to a public exhibition on Anniversary Day, January 29. He look the machine out again this morning, and for about an hour was flying above the city and harbor. Yesterday’s flight was made in a strong wind, but without mishap.

Hammond climbed nonchalantly into his seat, started the engine, and gave the signal, and after a short run it rose sharply into the air, and circled around seven or eight times at a height of a few hundred feet, rising and falling in a manner that displayed the absolute command over the machine. Ho finished the flight with an easy landing. For a time he travelled at a speed of at least 80 miles an hour.

The flight over the town this morning was entirely unexpected. Mr Mamomnd circled over the Exhibition and then soared over the harbor. Seeking out the warships Psyche and Philomel, he dipped as a mark ol respect to the white ensign, and after having saluted H.M.S. Pyramus, the monoplane wheeled citywards again, and flew by way of Mount Eden to the showgrounds, where she made a beautiful descent. The flight occupied nearly an hour, and in order to let the - people see the machine, Mr Hammond kept as low as possible. The engine worked perfectly the whole time, but the pianos were not answering properly to the controls. ‘ The rudder . and elevator planes were, however, acting proporlv, and Mr Hammond was able to do some pretty evolutions. Once he “banked” the machine at an angle of 90deg., that is to say, he had the wings at right angles to, instead of parallel with the earth. In the language of airmen, this is called “standing her on her wing-tip.”