airisms

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 20, 16 October 1937, Page 2

airisms

During the last few months most of the aero clubs in New Zealand have had. to eonsider the question of obtaining new aircraft. . It was not so long ago that nearly all clubs had only one type of machine — namely the D.H. Moth — but the last year has seen this well-tried type supplanted by more up-to-date aircraft. Nevertheless, it is pretty well agreed that the old Moth will go down ihto history as an exceptionally good trainer, and it is a pity that the type has now gone well out of production. If oue looks baclc ifxto the history of the Hawke's Bay and East Ooast Aero Club, One ilnds that the elub has owned n>5 fiewer than eight aeroplanes. Its present flcet consists of three. First came G-NZAT, later re-registered " as ZK-AAB. This was the ilrst Moth ever to fly in Kew Zealand, and it was origmaily litted with a Cirrus engine, the machine later being converted into a Gipsy-engined. Moth. Its undefcaTriage was of the cross-axle type, this latter being superseded by the more recent and stronger unit. The Machine is still fiying to-day, but, having been Tebuilt after daxnage so many tinles, it has almOst nothing of its Ofiginal air-frame left. ! WF*. 3600 Hours to Oredit. Then there was oue of the first Simnionda fSpai'tans, ZK- A AY' . This machine, fitted also; with a Cirrus motor, is long deceased, as is a later-type Spartan, ZK-ABC, which saw xnueh seryice with this club. A Gipsy T Moth ZK-ABB was issued to the club ,by the Government in 1930 and it has eoinpleted over 3,500 hours' flying until some months ago, when, after being damaged, it was decided not to rebuild the machine. The Desoutter cabin monoplane ZK-ABY, fitted with a Hermes engine, which had seen useful service on the Gisborne:Hastings run, was later bought by the club. Its days ended in old age aboiit a year ago, but it will be remembered as a very nice machine to handle by those who flew it. . The Government then issued to the club a Moth Major aeroplane, ZK-ADK. This machine is still flying and is used for advanced training and by endorsed A pilots. It was brought out by the factory to supplant the Gipsy Moth when that type went out of production, and is fitted with a 130 h.p. Gipsy> Major engine. Another Gipsy Moth, ZK-ACY, also saw a lot of service With the club, bnt its days are also lon.g_ ended. The most recent addition to the club's fleet is ZK-ACP, a D.H, Hornet Moth cabin machine seating two people side by side. lt has been in service for over six weeks and has completed well o^er 100 hotirs' flying 'with the club. Thb preseiit fleet, therefore, consists of a Gipsy Moth ZK-AAB, a Moth .Major .ZK-ADK, and a Hornet MothZKtAGP-, .A free machine has beeAallotted to the club b'y the Government; This will be a D.H. Tiger Moth and der

livery is expected some time in December. It is fitted with a Gipsy Major engine of 130 h.p., and should be. f.ully equipped for. blindrfiying training and advanced UerobatiCs, ' and is ..characterised by the pronounced stagger of thA main planes and a fair degree o| sweep-back." . It is. of metal construc;tjon, is • exceptiqnall'y strong, and is an ideal training ajfpraft. . , ; v ... : * . . .'--t Kew Macbines. . ; , One .of the club 's >0031; experienced pilots, E. A. Barker, has recently1 piaced an order fo'r two Porterfield Be Luxe cabin - aeropianeS. These are American aeroplanes .and it is-. hlghly probable that the: cfub will purchase one of them to augment the present fleet. The two Porterfields should. aflrive here some fime^nyNovpifiber. They are powered with ihe Warner jScarab Junior motor -ofV 90' "h.p. and -tlieir top speed is abaut 12-5 lrt.p.h.. • ■ Chinese Pupils, # ; At pre'sent ' the" club has . six Chinese •pupiis- under 'instrtrction. ""They 4 are Stanley Wong, ."VVong Bing, Cbung Wing Pak, iiouie • Chong, "Wong Fook Loy and Kwong Shng. Thecl^ief event last week was the ilrst solo fiight made ,by Stanley Wong, which was a most creditable exhibition, " and" we congratulate him on. his'performance, It. is usual for iirst soloists torcelebfate su.ch an event in fitting manner, so local ' pilots ar'e how awaiting. the day when Stanley Wong.' pfoduces * that quantity o£ Mui • Kwe - Lu — that is, Chinese whisky — in hCnour,, of tbe great day. This stuff makes one 's f eet f eel very closc to one's chin, so all pilots are advised to celebrate in moderation, since the club cannot alford to have the undefcarriages of its machines pushed up through the floor. Club Notes. The training of Civil Eeserve pilots has been started, and MesSrs A. J. Cowlrick and N. J. Edwafds, the first two of the quota of nine for the year, are making good' "pfogress with their dual instruction. The Hornet Moth is being used for prelimmary dual in this .connectiqn.- • — t . - . , Overhatil work. istprogressing apaee on S. G. White's Moth ZK-ABT, and it should not be long before motor and aiTfraine are rC-united and the machine is again flying. Our sympatliy goes out to W. O. Krogh, who has recently attempted in vain to infuse. the spirit of General O'Buffy into the ranks of the Aero Club*. 'His -fgreem -shirt' ■ wfts-worn. yery , well. . • • -It is likely that another hangar will be erected at the. aerodrpme shortly. by Teddy Barker. Apart f rom the f act -that he liopes always to have one -Por-. terfield demonstration on hand, additional - hangar- space: will be welc'pme when,-. the club has a PorterHeld .' and Tigcr Moth because tkese -types are not capable df being folded. , j.