FLYING TOO LOW

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1932, Page 3

FLYING TOO LOW

9 PILOT FIN HI) AT WANGANUI. PUSS BILITY OF DANGER. WANGANUI, January 19. Charged under the provision of the Aviation Act, 1918, George Douglas Sea bourne was fined £3 at the Wanganui Police Court yesterday for living a.t an altitude and proximity which might have been dangerous to the public. This is the first charge to b. made under the section of the Act in New Zealand. •Seven witnesses gave evidence oi identification of the aeroplane ami stated that the machine wa s flying, at too low an altitude over the crowd at the South IBetic'll on December 13. Some of the witnesses thought that the aeroplane was going to land on the beach, and others considered that it was Hying too low to make a safe landing.

Seabourne said that he had piloted the aeroplane according to instructionr given by Air F. C. Norton, who wa: i-i the cockpit at the time. He had flown at an altitude of from 200 to feet. Pie considered that lie war dying at a safe height and could make a good landing at any time. He had .learnt his Hying in the Royal AitForce and had held a New Zealand pilot’s license lor eight months. In reply to a question from the serioisergeant, he said that he was not the pilot who had tried to lly under th Town Bridge last year, nor did he lly over the city at night time for the pleasure of annoying people. Frederick Charles Norton, the owner of the plane, veiTied heights given by Seabourne, and said that Seabourne could have landed safely at any time during the flight.

In summing up. the magistrate, Mr ,1. H. Salmon, said that he must accept the majority of evidence, which showed that a number of responsible citizens had been apprehensive of their safety when the aeroplane was llymc overhead.