CLOSING THIS WEEK

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 72, 27 March 1933, Page 9

CLOSING THIS WEEK

AVIATION SCHOLARSHIP

AIR SHOW ON SATURDAY

The second section of tho "Evening Post" Aviation Scholarship will probably close this week, bringing .to an end a remarkably successful drive to interest the public in aviation.

The visit of Sir Charles liingsford Smith aroused unusual interest in aviation, but well- before the Southern Cross reached Wellington the number of applications for tho first section of the scholarship had reached tho hundred. During the weekend of the visit of Sir Charles the Aero Club's two offices, one at tho Eongotai Aerodrome and the other in the Dominion Farmers' 'Building, were kept busy with inquiries, and there- is now a considerable list of applicants waiting their turn to go up in their first trial flights. This being so, the club officials will appreciate it if applicants will state, when sending in their forms and fees (20s), the day and hour at which it will be convenient for them to go through their tests.

.The conditions, briefly, are that applicants must be over the age of 17 ycaa-s, and must not have had previous instruction. The entrance fee entitles them to ground instruction and twenty minutes dual instruction, in the second ten minutes of which the pupil will be given the controls, under expert supervision, of course.- Upon the manner in which the machine is handled points will be awarded. The six competitors scoring the highest points in this preliminary test will be put through further practical tests in the air, under a niore strict and detailed points-award systeni, and the leader of these six will be declared the winner of the section. Tho winner will be given the full course of training to enable him or her to qualify as an A pilot.

Sir Charles? Kingsford Smith has given a, handsome trophy to be competed for in connection with the scholarship scheme, and thi3 will be awarded Ito tho finalist, of first or second sections, who makes the best showing when j going up for the final pilot's examination. The Director of Air Services, Squadron Leader T. M. Wilkes, will be the judge in this trophy contest. . | The first section; which was won by > Mr. G. P. Cachemaille,' brought out some most promising flying talent, and judging from unofficial comment among i those at the aerodrome, tho second section has brought some real surprises! also. • . ' TO MAKE UP FOX SUNDAY. j A great many people were disappointed when bad weather made it necessary to cancel the programme of aerobatics and novelty flying by members of the Wellington Aero Club and visiting pilots yesterday week, particularly as tho Saturday afternoon show was a first-rate thriller. Tho Aero'; Club has decided to stage the same display next Saturday, and the City Council has agreed to make the aerodrome available. .

If the weather is . good the display will be "well -worth seeing, ■ and those who have not taken much interest in Aero Club progress will be considerably surprised at the very high class work done by locally trained pilots. Some of the "stunt" flying done Saturday week ranked as of the first'order, particularly that by Club Captain C. C. "Waito, and by Pilots C. M. Duthie, Jf. K. Archibald, S. It. Meatehem, .Plight-Lieutenant G. Bolt, and others. T.io programme arranged includes formation flying, "stunting" of various types;, includingyupside-down flying, bombing, crazy flying, and a repetition of -the aerial "dog fight." This last "sfunt," and Plight-Lieu-tenant Bolt's crazy flying, will provide anyone with a thrill that will last for some time.

Mr. M. K. Archibald and Mr. K. G. Smith, flying a Gypsy Moth, arrived from Auckland at 12.35 p.m. today.