True Bird Men

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1922, Page 4

True Bird Men

ELVERS IN MOTOI!LESS ’PLANES. IH TCII M.A.VS (iIIEAT FEAT. LONDON, Oct. 20 The Dutchman Eokkvr, on a biplane glider, in the first day of the London •Daily Mail” k 1000 gliding contest in Sussex, remained in the air lor Fi.miu

lie rose against a strong wind, and without difficulty soared high ahoM 1 ihc crowd on the summit of a hill, lie then began the seemingly endless series of circling movements. He was never far from the starting-point, and he dipped and rose again with the greatos l onso.

Once Fokker was near the earth, and asked conversationally, “Have 1 done 3U minutes yetf” The crowd shouted hack, “Go tin. Fokker, you’re doing

The conditions of the nontext were that the winner must glide lor at least 30 minutes and return to a spot within SOD yards of hi* starting-point. The record is held by a German named ilentzon, who glided for 190 minutes. This record was made in Germany. Fnkker told a “Daily Mail” representative that he could have remained up as long as lie liked, and if the wind prevailed a man could stay up all day long. “At times.” he said, “I did not move in thi' air. The others flew at a speed of 25 miles an hour and in the wind at the same pace. I found early where the up-current was such as enabled me to maintain my position and height, T continually returned there.” Fokker was never more than half a mile from the starting-point, and lie landed IG2 yards from it.

That British airmen will not he behind foreigners in gliding was proved to-day at the “Daily Alail” contest at Ilford. Raynham was aloft for 133 minutes, and nobody was more enthusiastic over it than Fokker.

The first attempt lasted only three minutes, for Raynham allowed himself to he carried past the summit of the. hill, and an air current prevented him soaring, and he was, therefore, unable to lack hack, so he descended gently. lie took off in the second attempt amid a gusty 30-niile-an-hour wind. He drifted half a mile to leeward and tacked hack to the starting-point, hut, gradually descending, he turned hack and climbed higher. He repeated the manoeuvre 30 times, and became familiar with the air currents, and was thus enabled for more than ail hour to glide round the starting-point within a 50-vards radius. He was never more than 100 ft up.