DOES THE PRINCE OF WALES TAKE LONE FLIGHTS?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18937, 6 December 1929, Page 13

DOES THE PRINCE OF WALES TAKE LONE FLIGHTS?

AVIATION INCIDENTS CAUSE WIDESPREAD PUBLIC MISGIVINGS. LONDON. November 23. Two recent aviation incidents have caused such widespread public misgivings concerning the Prince of Wales’s flying activities that it has been found necessary to issue official corrections and semi-official explanations. The first incident occurred on November 15, when the Prince's private ’plane, coming from the Continent, was forced to land at Woking and a mystery developed concerning the passenger’s identity*. It was asserted that the passenger went to a local inn, where the innkeeper was sworn to secrecy. Everybody'- concluded that the mysterious passenger must be the Prince, but officials of York House pointed out that the Prince had been at home all day, except when he saw the King and Queen off to Sandringham. The other incident was more recent. Several people declared that they had identified the Prince landing from a solo flight at Heston aerodrome. The first rumour was deemed objectionable, on the ground that it imputed that the Prince had a desire to conceal something, and the other because the public generally was dubious if the heir to the Throne should take such risks. Hunting, Then Flying? The Prince’s private secretary (Sir Godfrey Thomas) stated to-day that reports that the Prince had flown much lately or secretly was “absolute rubbish.” He had not flown for a considerable time, and, moreover, had not been up alone. He could not possibly do so, because he had not taken a pilot’s certificate. The Prince’s pilot gave his master’s ’plane an almost daily airing, so- people imagined that the Prince was aboard. “When the Prince flies, he does so openly,” concluded Sir Godfrey. It is said that, though the Prince usually* handles the dual controls and thus has become quite efficient, he has no intention of taking out a pilot’s license. The Prince’s unofficial defenders ask why he should be debarred from flying, seeing that he is so attached to it. He has alway*s been keen on it, and his interest has greatly assisted aviation, especially in the development of private ownership. His pilots are picked not merely for their skill, -but for their caution and safety, and no risks are taken. It is recalled that he loved crosscountry horse-racing, but gave it up when the Prime Minister (Mr Baldwin) affectionately communicated to him the public misgivings. His friends ask if it is fair to ask him to give up flying also, because it would be a real blow. They point out that Mr Ramsay MacDonald is also a keen aviator.