AIR TOURISTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 12 October 1929, Page 5

AIR TOURISTS.

LAN T MASTERTON.

STAY OF TWO HOURS.

"There they are!” and, sure enough, .away to tho south-east three dark specks away high up in the blue above the low hills, were discerned. The Auckland airmen had at last been able to leave Wellington, and were heading straight for Masterton’s temporary aerodrome. Sighted ,at 8:15 a.m., the three machines, in perfect formation, drew near and sighted The temporary airport without difficulty. Once over the landing ground, the formation was broken, and the leading pilot shut oft' his engine and prepared to land. The silver-grey wings of the -Gipsy Moths glistened, in the brilliant •sunshine. Gliding and. banking with the s ease of a bird, the leading machine lost altitude rapidly and 'touched the ground at S.ffiV a.m., making a perfect landing. A-wßjiutc later, Major G. A. C’owpcr, the pilot, climbed smilingly out of the cockpit, followed py his passenger, Mr K. R.'Stiickett, of-the "New Zealand Herald" staff.. They were greeted by Mr W. L. Free, president of the Wairarapa Aero.Club,,,, The second machine, piloted by Captain W. S. It. Bloomfield, who had as passenger Flying-Officer R. J. Copley, ground en th e : Aupklan d A ero . Club, landed a minute, by the third machine,' vyhieh.* a. circuit of the J. C. Horton, with his'pasftpnger, Mr R. Claire. All three machines, : inade perfect landings, , pfi-cdw ►

"Speaking to a "Daily Times" reporter, Major Cowpcr stated that they deft the Eongotai Aerodrome, Wellington, at 7.15 a.m. The Hu It Valley was followed as far as Upper -Ilutt, and crossing the lower ridges ,p£ the Rimutaka Hills, flew over Wairarapa Lake and landed at Martinborough at :S a.m. ~

The stay at the southern valley township was aifcicf one■ of five 'minutes. Taking off there they followed the low line of hills to the eastward, and when in the Longbush vicinity, swung in towards Masterton.

LANDING GROUND PRAISED. "We had a glorious trip," said Major -Cowper, who added that the Wairarapa was perfect fly in g country. "You have no need tp•'apologise for the’jfjzc of your landing ground; it is excellent," commented Major Cowper, -when told it was only a temporary one. Mr Haekett stated that tlid Martinborough gi'ound was good, bdt he considered the Masterton one pn Mr J. A. Betts’ property even better. He stated that some of the grounds they'had landed on during their tour were mere pop kets, and just tiny squares Compared to the Masterton ground. VISITORS WELCOMED. After the preliminary greetings and . refuelling of the aeroplane tanks, which hold 19 gallons, Mr Horton’s ’plane, in addition to the main'tailk, is also fitted with an auxiUhry tank. Mr W. L. <J|jß welcomed the visitors. In thanking Him airman for tlieir visit, he stated that it was the first occasion that a private ciub’s machines had landed at Masterton. Mr Free referred to that the visitors had expressed the opinion that 'an excellent emergency landing ground was available at Foxton. He hoped that, after seeing what Masterton, which was closer t:>° Wellington, had to offer, they wov. '1 realise the important part it mig; - play in the future of aerial tram-, ort. Although three days late, Mr Free stated that they-realised it was not the airmen’s fault, and, on behalf of the Wairarapa Aero • Club, and the citizens of Masterton, expressed gratitude to the visitors. Mr Ilaekett replied on behalf of the air tourists, and said that they had been advised by Dr. Kidson that it would be better to delay their departure .from Wellington. The tour was intended to bo a fine weather one, he said, and carried out under normal conditions. It vikpot intended that there should be an*tunt or long-distance flying. The speaker said he was pleased to learn that the Wairarapa Club was to eo-operato with Wellington, as that was the better way'for the smaller centres.- Mr Haekett, in referring to the landing ground, said that the Masterton people were very fortunate m having such an eeelleht’ one. - For emergency purposes the .ground which tliej had just landed on was more than ample for the purpose.':- &Th6j Wairarapa -was ideal flying countryC' Concluding, the speaker thanked the-school boys, onbehalf of the pilots, for-the way they had cleared, the ground' -Lt-was.a:, comforting thing to know that the odds and ends had been- cleared- away, and had. been done. 5 \ The visitors Mere then motored to town, where the j h a( l breakfast, return ing to the abopt, 5130 .a.ipiiy:: ci £

MAYOjR GOES UP. - - The Mayor (Mr T.' Jordan) -was taken up for a spin over the town, in one of the machines, piloted by Captain Bloomfield. An alti«|e of about, a thousand feet was and after a circuit a perfect landing was made. “It’s wonderful,”, said. Mr Jordan, as he doffed the characteristic headgear of the airmen. It was his first trip in an aeroplane, and he seemed to have enjoyed the spin, despite., the .Jjgeuliar sensation experieh.ced.wheu dropping some hundreds of feet. ....... •, , >v; f

LOOPS AND SPINS. were infused into the occasion by Major C-owper, who went up and .demonstrated loops and spins, to the delight of the spectators. Climbing about 800' or 900 feet, the pilot did one or two stalling turns. Then a fresh climb to an altitude in the Vicinity of 2000 feet, Major Cowper sent a thrill through the erowd when he dropped down in a daring spiral spin to flatten out with ease about 300 feet about ground level. Not content wiijLtMs he did a number of loops beflP returning to the ground. After a few minutes 9 rest and a chat, V; the pilots tuned up their engines, and

at 10.25 a.m. each ’plane made a perfect take off and flying over the town were soon lost to sight. They expected to reach Hasings about noon, the airline distance being about 110 niiles; On their journey north they are to fly over the towns en route. Tke airmen are to stay over the week-end at Hastings, and on Monday will fly to Gisborne. They expect to arrive back •at Auckland on Tuesday, completing their tour of the North Island.

ARRIVAL AT HASTINGS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS, This Day. The touring Auckland ’planes arrived at noon after a splendid trip from Wellington, via Wairarapa, and were welcomed by Sir Andrew Russell, president of the Hawke’s Bay Aero Club, and the Mayor (Mr Roach).

WHALER’S MOTH.

MAKES PROLONGED FLIGHT.

Early yesterday morning the wings of the trim Moth seaplane resting amidships on the Norwegian whaling ship Kosmos at Wellington were folded in close to the fuselage, and she was, carried on the shoulders of several men to 1 the seaward side of the • vessel, where the pilot, Mr, Leij . Lier, opened out .the wings and “trimmed ship.” . A neat wireless set, of “home-, made ’ ’ construction .-was. fitted, into "the observer’s cockpit,: and a powerful 200-volt ; battery^-was installed in. i'the luggage compartment in rear of. the pilot’s seat; After■ a couple of, short test flights , round : .the harbour and over the city, in which both machine and- apparatus were found .to be functioning perfectly, Mr Lier went up solo and was -soon lost to view over the western hills. He was away for about an hour, during which time he crossed Cook Strait at an altitude of 4000 feet, flying: ever the Sounds and returning to pass over Rongotai aerodrome.

Soaring high over the Orongorongos he looked down on the Wairarapa. Lake, and returned about 1.30 p.m., to glide silently in from a high altitude and settle' once more beside, the ship. After further flying above the city the ’plane was towed in, lifted from the water, and stowed on the port side of the bows. j