FROM T."RTPTCi[URCH. BY AIR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 285, 26 August 1920, Page 4

FROM T."RTPTCi[URCH. BY AIR

FIRST FLIGIIT MADE YESTERDAY i i A4l HOUR JOURNEY ' An .unexpected aerial visitor to tfcHtn.* ton vesterdnv won Oipt.on Kuan Dickson, > DS.Cri)F.O. and -Croix de Guerre, who , in an "Avro" machine belonging to. the ■ Canterbury Av at on Company. Sew from Sockburn Aerodrome (Ohrlstchurch) to Trenthara Racecourse, between 7 a.m. ana ?„10 p.m. Cantnin Dickson had with him Mr 0. H. Hewlett (deputy-chairman of the-, Canterbury ■Aviation **ropany) "" d Mr. J B. Moore (mechanic). The time •actually spent in the air was Bomcthina like four hours and twenty mtante.. ' Landings en route were made at the blm» • our or five miles couth of Kaikoura) and i at Kaikoura and Blenheim The highest altitude reached was «x tlxoußand feet. . The visitor arrived over the Te Aro district of the city at about 1.55 p.m.,. and ' pave a pretty exhibition for about, .« or ■ Seven minutes, sweeping round in -Mae • circles. After , two or three ■ graceful • curves, the machine went down by the t head in a partial nose-dive came ui again on an easy grade ™d nmde off along tha waterfront.' Over the Km"S Wharf Cap--5 nin Dickson made a complete circle w in. I then, rising bird-like on tho gentle breeze, t rose highe? in the air and winged away across the harbour in the direction of the ' Hutt Valley. Although the stronger flew at a lower altitude than Captaini to sell's Haviland, the song of the exhaust 5'S k gentle whirring sound Juite pleasant to the ear. The target deVice underneath the lower planes was Plainly visible when the machine va> directly overhead. i Details of the Trip. t " l i Oantain Dickson last nWvt rt« * 1 DOMINION reporter an account ol the miu. } Wh n the 'plane left fockburr. at 7 ams ' ho said, it oncountered a heavy uor-eait--1 erly wind of some-25 to 30 .miles an hour. • A course was set for Kaikoura. but slow ' progress ".vas made till Stoneylvurst. wm ' nearcd.. Thereabouts the wind dropped alt most completely. On Approaching.the i Elms. Captah Dickson found it.advisable 3 to make a landin? so that the petrol - tanks might bo replenished after the exJ Kins battle against the head wind 1 referred to above. . m _ . ) The first part of the journey from Sock- , burn was through a Perfectly clear at-, t mosohore, but when Stoneyhurst was passs ed dense clouds were encountered. After 3 flylne through the cloudsjvith only occ,b -sionil slimpjee and the; coists lin* the aviator considered it necessary to descend to something like elrfit nunb dred feet, where the view was clear. At I °his elevation lie continued till he reached t the Elms, where he made his landing in 9 a paddoclt belonging to Mr. .N«l» n ;., '' . was a rough paddock, but the landing I. was, fortunately, a good one. a Kaikoura Roaclicd, When tiv. machine went up ai>ai;i very it shortly afterwards, it tool: something in. . side five minutes to roach Mr. B. Macclcs« » paddock on the western side of Kaikoura. , This waß a prearranged landing Jiace, " and at it the tanks were properly renllMl as the supply taken in at;the Elms had ' been a comparatively Binnll one. • A «>oa .lumber of spectators witnessed the kaikoura landing, and gave the visitors a very enthusiastic reception. Kaikoura was quitted at 10.80, and an altitude of 4000 feet was attained as the machine made its way un tho coast, tumorous bumps were felt as tho piano passed .the Seaward Kaikouraß on the seaward J side. Captain Dickson turned inland when ! ho was near tho Uro Hiver. and set a ' cource for Blenheim, lassmg to the left or • Beddon and Ward on the way. The Heda wood Pass was crossed at an Mtitude or ;- about 3500 feet. At Blenheim, Tho mnchine landed at 11.59 on the outj aklrt-H of Blenheim in a paddock owned bv Mr. Allen. More petrol and oil were obtained here. Although very few peoplo were at hand when tho machine reached tho ground, some 200 or 300 had assembled by the time the journey was lesuiacd U25! "' Crossing Cook Strait. A height of 6000 feet was attained on 1 the journey past Port Underwood. Bobt erlenn Point, and Butiundcr Point, before, il Wellington Head on Arapawa Island was n roached. On this side of Arapawa a thick !. cloud bank wnn encountered. Captain J Dickson flew through it for ten minutes '" or so, but finally had to eeek a lower e level to avoid it. Tcrawhiti lighthouse was passed with the 'piano some ZfOO feet up The altitude of the machine when it flr.it 'imn over, Wellington city was about 5000 feet. Stalling turns, Hiiumclmaua turns, and side-slips brought it down to 2000 feet. Captain Dickson then niado for Trcnthnm at 70 miles an hour, and L achieved a good landing on the racecourse '1 there. a The aviator proposes to return to Blen5. heim to-day and Bpcud a few days there v making pusEcngcr flights. He did not .'. state last night at -what time ho would I leavo Trentham.