LEARNING TO FLY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 99, 19 January 1918, Page 8

LEARNING TO FLY

THE CANTERBURY SCHOOL PATRIOTISM WHICH PAYS . A PROSPERING INSTITUTION , Two.or three years ago Mr. R, F. Wigram spolie' iii the Legislative Council about, aviation, a"nd of the desirability.'.of the Government taking some action,to establish a school or schools in this country for the teaching of this new science. But his words fell on deaf ears. The Government had too much to do, and the Government did-nothing with this thing. Before very long Mr. Wigram did. something himself, and it was mainly through his instrumentality and enterprise that the • Plying School, which- is jlready an established and flourishing institution ill Chrisfelvurch, was founded. Those were the early days of the. great war, but Mr. .Wigram and the few friends whom he interested in the project recognised that in the development of the war in the future the aeroplane would play a very important part. It is the,thing which the Americans have recognised in this the fourth year of the war, and. the thing to which they are devoting their first energies. Up-to-Date Equipment. A company was formed in Christchurch, and a number of machines were obtained, buildings were erected on a jjiece .of ground suitable as a location ior an aerodrome, and an instructor was obtained. The instructor is Mr. C. M. Hill, who, before he came to New Zealand, was an instructor at Hendon, the great flying school in North London, through which most of the R.F.C. men graduate. The present fleet of the school consists of seven j machines—two 100 horse-power dual) 1 control biplanes,, one 60 horse-power j dual control biplane, and four singleseater machines. It should be explained that the dual control machines are for the purpose of taking up pupils who are partly instructed in the flying r.rt, and in one of these machines if the pupil should through loss of nerve or for any other reason make a fault, the instructor may take over control and pick the machine up before anything un"toward happens. Accidents as they used to be known as a feature of flying schools are in the present day at the Canterbury Aviation School unknown. A man or a youth may learn to fly it he has'the requisite health of body and mind as safely as a man may learn to drive a motor-car. To Win the War. The first arid the present purpose of the enterprise in Christchurcb is to train young men for service in the Flying Corps in this war. An arrangement has been made by which pupils entered in this school may acquire the first lessons in .the aviation art here in their own country, and then go on to complete in the schools of the Royal Flying Corps in England. It is, as it has always been, a war effort of the sort that was not being taken up by the Government cr any other agency in this country. After they have been taught something of the mastery of the air pupils are examined by military officers of the Canterbury district,' and if they are fortunate enough to win their certificates, as most of them are, they go on to England. Once upon a time the pupils of New Zealand schools used to go forward as officers, wearing the badge of the RoyaLFlyiug Corps, but this practice has been discontinued. Nowadays the men go away from New Zealand in mufti, but. they go in troopships or such other vessels as may be available, wearing as distinguishing marks a badge, not unlike that worn by the R.F.C. men, but with the name of-the Canterbury Aviation School inscribed. Landed in England they go to some of the recognised schools, there to be trained in advanced flying, such as may be required of the fighting pilot at the front. The course may extend to four months, and if the pupil passes the tests, and does not misbehave, he is assured a commission in the Royal Flying Corps, the newest, but the most exclusive, branch of the service. It is not accepted that the school at Christchurch is incapable of turning out finished flying men, fit to meet any .wind or any foe,-but the R.F.C., which has to take responsibility for the men when they go to battle, insists upon training the men who are to carry its standards. The capacity of the school is considered to b<) a production of two pupils, per week, the course of instruction occupying about four weeks in ordinary circumstances. -Many more .than two pupils are in attendance at the school when, training is in pror gress. . As a matter of fact, approximately- 50 pupils are Waiting now for their turn to be admitted to the school. 'Not only are the candidates taught to fly, but they are taught as much as they can'-know about the machines in which they take the air. Already machines/have been built at the' school, with the exception of the engines. An -aeroplane engine is perhaps the most delicate piece of high-power machinery known, to engineers, and there is no possibility that this part of the plane will be built in this country for many years yet. But machines 'have been fitted to engines imported. Cood Business. In its beginning the company was formed, as part' of a patriotic effort in which'the promoters saw possibilities as a measure to help to win the war. Since then' they have found that it is quite a sound and profitable proposition • commercially. The charge made to a pujiil who enters the school is £100. . Onless there is something wrong with him, that is-not. the fault of the school, a youth will qualify for graduation into the Royal Flying Corps Schools; in the United Kingdom, and as soon a 6 he does so he is entitled to a refund of £75 from the Government on behulf of the Imperial authorities. So that for his period of tuition, during which lie lives at the school, he has, to pay only £25. _ The output of. the school at present is two pupils per week, which represents an income of £10,000 per year to the company. The. running expenses of the school do not amount to more in the year than £4000, so that the patriotic venture has developed into a profit-earning concern, The authorised capital of the Canterbury Aviation (N.Z.) Company, Limited, is £20,000, to be issued in £1 shares. Half of this capital has been subscribed, and on this the company has been able, to carry on its operations on a substantial scale. The other shares have not been offered to the public for subscription, but they are now being offeved. The company has its aerodrome and its business headquarters in Christchurch, but it draws its pupils from all parts of New Zealand, and one of the present aims is to spread the interests of tho institution over as wide a field as that from which the pupils have been and arc still being drawn. The operations of the company are steadily growing. The school began . with one machine, and new machines have been acquired at a rate to keep pari) with the number oi new pupils offering. _ In the selection of pupils the rules imposed by the Ro.va! Flying Corps are observed. A candidate must be of British parentage, be from 18 to 25 years of age,'imust he able to. pass jr stiff medical examination, and must be able to furnish proof of a reasoncWe standard of education. Defence officers who have to do with the school have expressed themselves

as highly satisfied with the conduct of the institution. 'Some of them have taken flights in the two-seater machines, with Mr. Hill as pilot. Several ladies have also been up for flights over the city of Christchurch at a height of 3000 feet "or more. The record flight for the school is something like 4000 feet, but this height could probably be exceeded if this were made an object by the authorities. After the War. It is taken for granted that after the war the operations of the company will go on. Then there will be no pupils offering for the Royal Flying Corps. As to the prospers _of the school as a peace-time institution, the following observations of the chairman of directors, the Hon. 11. F. digram, are interesting:— "And what of the company's prospects after the war? What, in fact, of aviation the world over ? Surely this is a subject or, which one may dream dreams and see visions. Mr. Grahame White anticipates that a speed of 250 or 300 miles per hour will bo reached by multiple-enginod machines; that passengers will be carried as safely as by train or motor-cars, and flying routes laid out the world oyer. He talks of flying ships developing thousands of horse-power, supported m the air by wings which fold or telescope when not in use, and provided with a sea-going hull, capable of withstandinc; he&vv seas and making long voyages. (See 'Air Power: Naval, Mi itary and Commercial,' the joint aatliors of which being Messrs. Grahame White and Harry Harper.) I have quoted Mr.' Grahame White because ne is an accepted authority on the subject, and at the outbreak of the war was appointed by the Home Government to superintend the carrying out of their contracts for building aeroplanes,, but similar anticipations have been made by other writers on the subject. The point I want to make is that aviation is only at present in its infancy, and is soon to become an everyday factor in our lives, [f, then, after the war the Government still has no school of its own, we shall probably train men for the Postal service, and perhaps for the i>efence Department also. >\ o snail cater for private business, for those who want to own their aeroplanes and to have . a hangar to keep theni in j when they conio to Christchurch, just as the garages do for motorists. He j shall teach them to fly first, supply them with machines, and keep those j machines in repair. Wo shall import engines and spare parts, perhaps act as agents for Home manufacturers, and build the planes locally or indent special designs. We may promote flying races and gymkana. In short, there is a wide field for the enterprise of the company."

How to Enrol or Invest. Mr. C. W. Hervey, secretary to the Canterbury Aviation Company, is at present in the North Island. ■ He was consulted by a number of the intending pupils at the Grand Hotel, Wellington, yesterday afternoon. This morning he will go on to Palinerston North, and may be seen at the Grand Hotel 'there from 2.30 to 4.30 o'clock this afternoon, and from 7 to 8 this evening. On Monday he will proceed to Wanganui, where he will make the Rutland Hotel his headquarters for the afternoon and evening, and on Tuesday afternoon and evening (2.30 to 4.30 and 7 to 8 o'clock) he may be consulted by intending pupils and others interested at the White Hart Hotel, New Plymouth. ' Mr. Hervey, who is well known and popular in business, professional, and sports circles in Christchurch, will return to Wellington on Thursday evening, and will receive intending pupils and gentlemen interested in the notable venture he is associated with between the hours of 2.30 and 5.30 p.m. on Friday. He will return to Christchurch that night.

Applications for shares in the Aviation Company may be made to Mr. Hervey personally at any time during his North Island tour, or to him by letter to his office, 59 Cathedral Square, Christchurch. The shares (£1 each), of which. 10,000 are available, will not be open to the public after the end' of February, so that early application is necessary. Intending pupils who may not be able to see Mr. Hervey while he is in this island can also communicate with him at his Christchurch office.—(Published by arrangement.)