AVIATION PIONEER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 161, 7 June 1940, Page 4

AVIATION PIONEER.

DEATH OF MR A. W. SCHAEF. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 6One of the real pioneers of aviation, Mr A. W. Scliaef, died suddenly at Wellington yesterday. It was among the sandhills that are now Rongotai Aerodrome that Mr Scliaef, some 30 years ago, built a machine and with ludicrously insufficient power carried out some of the first practical aviation in New Zealand. With Mr D. P. Fisher lie worked on a monoplane of the Bleriot type with al4 J.A.P. engine. The most notable feature was that it embodied an idea of Mr Schaef’s to be forgotten and re-introduced as new in very recent years, a flap or air brake It is not possible to say definitely if this was the first application of the principle, but it is probable it was so. Mr Scliaef continued his experiments with more power and got into the air, but never high nor far. He later added floats and his ’plane figured at Wanganui, where the river offered better possibilities than the beach. Tlie end came when the ’plane went up m flames in a hangar and Mr’ Scliaef, who had spent much money, reluctantly gave aviation best.