WESTERN PILOTS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 7

WESTERN PILOTS

WIGRAM CUP FOR CLUB TEAM HIGHEST AGGREGATE OF POINTS. By securing the highest aggregate in all competitions at the official North Island air pageant on Sunday the Western Federated Flying Club pilots won the Wigram Cup trophy, open to teams from the various clubs. The pageant, which was held by the Wairarapa-Ruahine Aero Club at the Hood Aerodrome, attracted 40 planes from many parts of New Zealand, including five defence machines. The weather was almost ideal and the pageant was considered the most successsful yet held in the Dominion, the standard of performance being high. The Western Federated Club pilots were consistently g °Only one minor mishap occurred when a Southland plane piloted by Mr. A. P. Finlayson touched the ground with one wing when landing. The damage was not serious, but the plane had to be dismantled. The pilot was not injured. There was a large attendance of the public. A feature of the day’s events was the air drill and formation flying by the New Zealand Air Force controlled by wireless from the ground, orders to the aircraft being broadcast simultaneously to the public, which was enabled to follow the sequence of movements. Another interesting item was a mock encounter between a territorial machinegun party supported by a defending plane, and attacking aircraft. FlyingOfficer Frazer made several successful parachute descents. Tire Western Federated machines returned to their home aerodromes late on Sunday afternoon after a delay in getting off caused by heavy mists over the hills. Flying conditions in the afternoon were excellent and the trips uneventful. Pilots A. Stroud and J. A. Pankhurst brought ZK-ACZ and ZK-AAX to. New Plymouth with Messrs. A. Smith and C. Turner as passengers. ZK —ACH returned to Wanganui. New' Plymouth pilots said they were considerably impressed with the general standard of flying at the pageant and were pleased with the Western Federation’s success in the club event. They were particularly enthusiastic about the work in formation flying and aerobatics done by Air Force pilots and machines. Additional results from the pageant are:— Herald Cup navigation test for clubtrained endorsed A pilots: R. A. Armstrong (Hawke’s Bay) 1, J. H. Preston (Wairarapa) 2, Major R. L. McGaffin (Manawatu) 3.

Senior landing: Miss E. Parkinson (Wanganui) 1, Major N. L. McGaffin 2, J. H. Stevenson (Otago) 3.

Aerobatics (non-professional, for B or endorsed A pilots): R. F. Taffenden (Auckland) 1, A. W. Buchanan (Wairarapa) 2, E. A. Barker (Hawke’s Bay) 3. Aerobatics (professional pilots): FlightLieutenant D. M. Allan (Auckland) 1, Flight-Lieutenant A. S. Gerrand (Hawke’s Bay) 2, Flying-Officer J. M. Buckeridge (Wairarapa) 3. Banking: J. C. Tait (North Otago) 1, J. V. A. Reid (Wairarapa) 2, O. R. Franklyn (Western Federated) 3.