FLYING ACTIVITIES.

Wairarapa Age, 9 March 1934, Page 4

FLYING ACTIVITIES.

MEETING OF WAIRARAP A AERO CLUB. PRESENTATION OF CHALLENGE CUP. A meeting of the committee, of the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Chib was held last night, the president; Mr. W. L. Free presiding over a good attendance of members from all parts of the Wairarapa and the Southern. Hawke’s Bay district. As already reported, Mr. G. B. A. Cowie, winner of “the Age” scholar-, ship had his first solo flight on February 6 and was granted his A license on February 23. Since tnat date he had visited Wellington) Palmerston North and Wanganui. The flying report was again excellent, the total number of flying hours for the month being over 85, which gives an increase over the corresponding five months of last year of 162 hours. Provided that 80 hours flying can be done by the end of March the first six months of this year will have equalled the total number of flying hours recorded for the twelve months ended September 30 last. It was reported that a new lady trainee had commenced instruction this month and that further trainees were offering. The Pilot-Instruetor, Flying Officer J. Buckeridge was at the present time attending a refresher course with, the New Zealand Territorial Air Force at Christchurch and would return to Masterton after the week-end.

Mr. A. W. Buchanan was appointed as the club’s official representative, with Flying Officer Buckeridge, at the South Island official air pageant, to be held at Hokitika to-morrow. Mr. Buchanan will pilot the ’plane to Christchurch and pick up Flying Officer Buckeridge there before proceeding to Hokitika.

A handsome challenge cup, presented to the club by Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Free was handed over to the committee, together with the conditions governing the competition for the winning of the trophy. The competition, an annual one, will be open to trainees of the club who had obtained their A license per medium of the club, the competition closing every year on March 31. It was decided to hold the annual ball at.the end of May. This function, it was stated, was now so well-known and popular that the committee estimated that there would be a larger attendance than ever this year. Full arrangements would be made to make the ball equally as successful as those of previous years. During the month there were 21 arrivals and departures of cross-country ’planes at the Hood Aerodrome.