SUCCESSFUL BIPLANE FLIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1855, 15 September 1913, Page 7

SUCCESSFUL BIPLANE FLIGHT.

TRIAL OF AN AUCKLAND MACHINE. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) Auckland, September 14. The young engineers, Sandford and Miller, who havo dovoted most of tho past year to work in tho perfection of a flying inachino, on Saturday afternoon saw their efforts culmiuato in success, a magnificent flight'boing made over a distance of threo miles. A fortnight ago t'ho machine wis successfully tried in a flight from Avondalo towards New Lynn. On that occasion, after traversing a couplo of miles, the aviator, Sandford, found that tho engine of 'his ma- , chine was inclined to give troubles, and ho was compelled to alight in a Binall field near New Lynn. On Saturday afternoon tho machine was fully tuned up for another attempt, and at 5.25 o'clock in tho presence of a small crowd of spectators Sandfo.-d mounted his machine. The epgine was set in motion, and with a short preliminary run across tho small field the biplane left tlhe ground and soared gracefully into the air. Thero was an oxciting moment for tho airmail and for tho spectators when the machine roso to negotiato a lino of tall trees which enclosed the groiin.l. It meant a quick ajscent, and was a critical test for tho machine, but tho obstaclo was successfully cleared, and after that it was all plain sailing. Rising to a height of 300 feot, Sandford turned his machino right round until ho faced his destination (.Vvondalo). Then he soared back over tho heads of tho waiting crowd at the starting place. TliePhirman made a straight flight for the racecourse, and tho three-mile'journey was negotiated in as many minutes, and, volplaning easily and gracefully, the machine was brought to earth, without trouble of any kind.