KNIGHT OF THE AIR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1154, 15 June 1911, Page 3

KNIGHT OF THE AIR.

MR. HAMMOND IN WELLINGTON. HUNDRED FLIGHTS WITHOUT MISHAP. Among the arrivals from Sydney by the Moeraki yesterday was Mr. Joseph Hammond, a young New Zealaiider, who, during a lengthy sojourn in Europe, has thoroughly mastered the art of Hying. Mr. Hammond is tall, slight, and fuir. \\ itliont any pretension to ostentation, he impresses one as being keen and alert. He does not look more than 30 years of age, never touches intoxicating drink a month before ho is to fly, and at other times is very moderate. He is nervy in character, lithe in figure, and has a bright, happy-go-lucky nature.

Mr. Hammond is a member of the wellknown family of the name, who for years have resided at Bulls, Rangilikei. He was born at Feilding, and was educated at St. Patrick's College in the days before there was any talk of a chair of aeronautics anywhere in the world. A little over four years ago lie left New Zealand to "have a look round," as he. puts it. He visited America, then crossed over lo England and Europe. He was attracted by and interested in aeronautics from tho start, and made it his business to be present at an exhibition given by Henri Fnrmau, at Etcmps, in France, and afierwards at Mourmelon le Graud by the same flyer. Ho was at once seized with a desire to know more, about the new method of locomotion, and, be-' coming friendly with Leo Delagrauge (since killed by the collapse of a monoplane), he look up the study of aeronautics seriously in France, learning to drive the monoplane from M. Delagrango, and the biplane from Henri Farman himselt. "Is there much difference in driving the different machines?" "Oh, yes— a good bit. The monoplane is much more delicate to liandle than the biplane, but it is much the latter s superior in speed. It was in the monoplane -the Bloriot type-that I made my first flight in France. Indeed, nearly all the (lying I have done has been in I ranee aiid Germany." "I came lo Australia," said Mr. Hummond in answer to an inquiry, "under engagement to the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, flying m the Bristol machine, and have given lots oi do ; monstrations in Melbourne and Sydney. What is your longest flight? •'My longest non-stop flight was 200 miles', but that was in France. My longest flight in Australia was from Melbourne to Geclong and back without a stop—only 90 miles. You see there is nothing to induce one to put up anything in the way of records, as there is no competition, and nothing hanging tn it. J. suppose I have made over one hundred flights in Australia, and they have been done without costing mo a penny for repairs. My altitude record was '10,000 feet, also put up in 1 ranee where, big prizes arc offered for such feats; but they arc very trying on the chest and often on the engine owing to the rarity of the atmosphere. I. went up to 91)00 feet in Victoria, to demonit rate how a machine could soar. "For some time I held the altitude record when carrying one passenger— ifiOOft., but I notice that that has been beaten by a German who climbed up to the SOOOf't. love!." Have you ever taken up more than one passenger ! J "Oh" yes-took up half n dozen m a biplane'once, but that doesn't count now. Louis Brcgnet has 'taken up a dozen people in a. biplnr.e. My wife, who is with me, frequently goes up to have a look round. 1 was taking passengers up in Sydney, at twenty guineas a head. Did yoii get many? "Yes,' quite a number." Anv of I hem get frightened? "Xn-not one. All of them behaved splendidly." And what are you going to do now? "I've just run across to coo u.y peoplet bo here two or three weeks perhapsthen I go back to Sydney. 1 have finished with the Bristol people, and am importin? Moraue and Bleriot monoplanes. Tho Mbrane is a beautiful little mnchine-il; was used by Yedremie, who won thi! Paris-Madrid' race tho other day." And what then? "Well, there is one thing ahead—theCoimnonwcalt.h Government is arranging a Sydney to Melbourne race, and talks of offering prizes aniouuliug to JJ15,000. I will have a go for them in a monoplane. The distance is 550 mi!i;s, and it will bo a prsliy hazardous journey." Why? "On account of tho bush. For SOOmilce out of Melbourne the country is pretty open, then comes the bush, and bush is bad." ■• How? "If anything goes wrong with tho machine over open country you have a chance of planing down with a. fair chance of landing safely, but it is very hazardous plunging into trees at a rate ■'.! GO or 70 miles an hour. It would mean the wreck of tho machine, and most probubly a bad smash-up, if nothing worse, for yourself. It's a hazardous trip, all right. I've been over the ground, and I know." Did you bring an aeroplane over? "Xo; what's the use at this time of the year? It would be risking tcomuch,and there is nothing to induce a flight over here. But if your Government or military authorities could arrange a guarantee, I might be able to come over and give a few demonstrations next summer. Nearly every country in the world is offering big money for flights to encourage aeroplaning as an art embodying a definite line of progress, but 1 haven't yet heard of anything of the kind as regards my own country—Xcw Zealand. In good weather one might be tempted to try a fly to Ohristchurch or Kelson. It would be hazardous, but that's all in the game." On landing yesterday from the Moeraki Mr. Hammond was handed a cablegram, which contained an offer to supply him with _ii cou[)lb oi "Anuiinotte" machines for flights in Australia. These, machines, Mr. Hammond explained, were the prettiest little monoplanes in tho world, and were used by I'aul Latham recently in his sensational flights at San Fran'ei'eo and Las Angeles. Mr. and Mrs. Hammond leave for Ran»itikei this morning.