Skimmed the Waves

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 32, 22 February 1937, Page 6

Skimmed the Waves

LOW-FLYING PLANE AT HAUMOANA Dangerously Near Wireless Masts RESIDENTS ALARMED "Several adults yelled out and a number of children, screamed. They thoUgh it was going to hit the water," said a resident of Te Awiig-i to a Hei'ald-Tribune representative thisi morningi when mentioning that yesterday morning a Moth aeroplane flew very low over the beaeh resort. "As a matter of fact, I fully expected the plane to ctash into seVeral witoless masts befoi'e it reached the sea, for it Was flying Very low." he said. "Wlier. it reached the #Sea it iou td ils :.f il wet.' goilig, To maka a i:i-;ted 'atlding in the sea, aiid a number of people called out aud started to run towards it. However, after just skiminikg the suri'aCe it flew on toWards tke Cape.

"Unless there Was some urgent need for such low flying it was a very foolhardy action on the patt of tke pilot, for - he Was dangerously near tfro&e wireless masts, let alone being almost in the water," added the infofmattt. "I understand this is not the first time that tke stunting has been done over Te AWaiiga." Cdnfitmation of tke incident was given by another resident, wko Said tkat a plane kad flowii over the township every Sunday now for tke past three Week*. "He flies so loW tkat he frightens the children and they scream," she said. "I tkought ke was gjoing to crash into our wireless mast yesterday morning, but he jttst missed it by what seemed to me to be only A few ittche»," That oflioials df the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club sttohgly diSapprove of pilots flying in the manner cofflplained of and that steps are being taken to investigate the complaints that have been received is indieated by tke foilowing Ietter receivd by the editor Of tke Herald-Tri-bune from Mr p. Barker, president oi the club: — "I have received lately complaittte of low flying by club aeroplanes at Haumoana. is the wish of tlie Aero Club to stop this, and it would greatly help the club officials if people would note the machine's letters painted on the wings and fUselage • also the exact time of jffie offence. It is then a simple matter to find the culprit by means of the flying Iog kept at the aerodrome/ Any complaints can be fully checbed and the pilot dealt with. "It is the aim of the Ae|6 Club to conduct flying in a safe and sane manner in this distriet and ttot to annoy people. Any complaint reported to me or to the club instructor will he fully i n vp.sti cra.+pfl . 5 '