VISIT OF AEROPLANES TO FOXTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4438, 10 April 1930, Page 3

VISIT OF AEROPLANES TO FOXTON.

i FOUR MACHINES LAND ON THE BEACH. | The pleasant surprise afforded I residents on Tuesday when the four ’planes paid their unexpected [ visit to Fox ton only goes to show that with a very little expenditure the Heads could he made a very popular air port. i Mr. W. Kirkland received a telephone message from Captain Mercer early on Tuesday morning asking 1 what the weather conditions were like in Foxton, and on receiving favourable reply said that he, with S'Gjven companions would 1 “drop in to dinner.” ITe was then , speaking from Hastings, where the machines had been participating in the air pageant, and intimated that they were en route to Auckland and anticipated arriving in Foxton about mid-day. The weather was then tine but ‘by eleven o’clock the sky clouded over and rain commenced to fall. Arrangements were made for smoke signals on the old river bed to assist the aviators in landing and the heaps of rubbish were set alight .just on 12 o’clock when the ’planes were first sighted Hying low along the northern beach. Captain Mercer, who knows the landing ground well, and, for that matter, can claim to have landed there in the dark unassisted last year, was the first to come down and made a perfect landing. As he taxied on to the green sward hor- . dering the sandy run-way another machine followed and then another, i until all four had made perfect landings and came to a. standstill in < a, line on the grass facing the south. A number of people had gathered on the beach by this time, including the children from the Boa oli school, and were interested spectators of the manoeuvre. The : aviators lost no time in covering up their machines and left immediately for town where (hey lunched. Al ter dinner they refuelled and at ' _’.2!) p.m. set out for Hawera. The weather had cleared somewhat and the take-off was favoured by an absence of rain which, however, fell almost immediately after their departure. All machines took the air very gracefully and after cir- < !ing overhead two machines dived down over the heads of the spectators and with a. wave of hands soon -disappeared into the distance, . hanging to the coast line. In conversation with our representative, Captain Mercer said that the .’planes left Hastings at 10.30 in , beautiful weather. At Pukeora Sana I orium they Hew low and one or two'machines went through a manoeuvre or two for the benefit of the patients. Taking a direct line from . there Daiinevirke was passed over and “bumps” were encountered thereabouts. The ranges were crossed at the Gorge and a line taken \ from there to ißiills and down the ; coast to the Foxton Beach. The ( whole trip occupied only an hour t and a half. After crossing the ranges, squally weather could lie seen in the vicinity of Foxton but 1 nothing of a serious nature and a < drop of rain was not sufficient to • deter them. He was particularly < anxious that the South Island pilots accompanying him should land in Foxton because lie considered it an excellent ground which they would possibly find very useful. When ’planes were unable to get into Wellington, Foxton was always safe.

When it was mentioned to Captain Mercer that the Poxton Chamber of (Commerce possessed plans of a. hangar which would be suitable for erection on the beach, he said that such a building would be of great assistance to fliers. Every year move people were taking aviation up and owing to its situation, koxton should be very suitable as a calling-in place. It was an ideal refuelling' place for ’planes crossing- (lie Straits and Poxton should use all its endeavours to have a hangar erected at the beach iu which could be stored a few tins of petrol for the use of visiting ’planes. Once this was established he had no doubt that it would become a popular port of call. The keys could be left with the pilot and as he was on the telephone pilots would have no difficulty hi getting in touch with him and ascertaining weather conditions and making arrangements for landings, etc., at any time. The cost of the structure should be very small. All the other visiting pilots expressed the opinion that the ground was excellent for landing and small machines would have no difficulty iu landing in almost any direction on the hard sand. It was also easily located from the air.

Prior to his departure, Captain Mercer said that he intended calling in on his way back on Monday and made arrangements for the refuelling of the 'planes prior to their departure on the last lap of the return journey across the Straits. Captain Mercer’s ’plane is easily distinguishable in the air as it is painted red along the body.