AUCKLAND AEROPLANE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1049, 11 February 1911, Page 13

AUCKLAND AEROPLANE.

SUCCESSFUL TRIAL OF THE /'FLYING BIK-D."

(Bj Teleisraph.-Spccial Correspondent.! ' ■'•..'. Auckland, Fobruary 10. A successful aeroplano flight by an Auckland resident on a machine planned and built in Auckland took place yesterday at Papakura. _, For some months past keen interest in aviation'has been displayed by a number of Auckland residents, and Mr. Leo. Walsh) who, with several assistants, was the first to comploto tho construction of an aeroplane, has orowned his .efforts: with success. About a fortnight'ago'!thV finishing touches wore put'to tho machine, ' afid for n number of. nib filings .."rtiUWc " practico—running tho machine along tho ground—was held. Last week tho budding aeronauts. wore satisfied, and arrangements- were mado for tho Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) to christen tho first aoroplano in the Dominion. Tho ceremony was duly performed, and tho name . "Manurowa" (meaning "Flying Bird") waa given to the ■ machine Everything j was now .in readiness for an aerial flight,.and confident that tho machine was capable of flying, tho enterprising airmen made preparations for a flight yesterday morning. Long before tho inhabitants of tho.district wero about, Mr. Walsh and his party had the machino out in a suitable open space. It was thoroughly inspected, and Mr. •V. Walsh, a brother of Mr. Leo Walsh', mounted tho seat. , A few minutes and the aeroplano was proceeding slowly along tho ground preparatory to rising. I Then a 6hout from tlio spectators indicated that' tho flight had commenced. Mr. Walsh rose over 20 foot from tho .ground. Tho distanco covered was some 300 or 400 yards, tho machino reaching tho ground well un-der-tho aeronaut's control. Thoro aro no brakes on aeroplanes, and tho only moans of bringing tliem to a standstill is. to allow them to run along tho ground ■until they stop. Mr. Wnlsli hud not loft sufficient clear ground for this, and soon .. after ,- the machine descended, it ran into a fence,' but practically no damage_ resulted.. .;Mr. I Walsh's machine is a biplano very,similar to that in which Farman flow from London to Brussels. Tho-parts were mostly imported from Home, but tho aoroplano was put together in Auckland under tho supervision of Mr. Walsh. The machino was designed by Howard Wright, an English aviator, .whoso specialty is designing. As tho word biplano implies, thero arc two planes, a'front elevator and a toil. When tho structure is completed it stands on two skids, to whicll wheels aro attached, the rubber tires boing "springy" so as to facilitato landing. The other many details of. tho aeroplano aro all for compactness and strength. A particularly strong feature of the machino is tho cngino, which is capablo of producing _ from 60 to 80 horse-power, and has eight cylinders. It is of English design, and was _ made in England. The chief respect in which Mr. Walsh's machino differs from the Farman is that it has a monoplane tail (ouo surface),,instead of a biplane, tail (two.surfaces).