AVIATION

Southland Times, Issue 18829, 24 May 1920, Page 5

AVIATION

FAIRLIE TO CHRISTCHURCH.

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 22. Covering the 100 miles between Fairlie and Christchurch in one hour despite a couple of heavy rainstorms, Captain Euau Dickson landed his Avro biplane at the Sockburn aerdrome at 10.28 a.m. to-day with (wo passengers. A snowstorm wai raging at 8 o’clock this morning, the timo fixed for the return trip. The pilot and passengers hung about waiting for a lull, which occurred at 9.25. They left in a northwester, flying over Geraldine, where the wind on the plains was found to b« south-west. The Avro consequently had the advantage of a following wind to Christchurch and averaged 100 miles an hour. A unique “bump” was experienced by Captain Dickson while on his way to Mount Cook with Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., as a passenger. They were at 13,000 ft, about the height of Mount Cook, and had a magnificent view of the lakes, the Tasman river. Mount Cook and the Hermitage Valley. Suddenly Captain Dickson found that his engine was running without power (racing in fact.) He tried to adjust the engine to get some puil out of her and immediately realised that he had struck an entirely new experience. As he worked at his controls he found that he had dropped 4000 ft within few seconds without knowing it. To use his own words this was “rather weird,” but the machine came out of (he ordeal safely. He attributes the drop to a downward current of air.

AN AIRSHIP FLIGHT. PETROL TANK ' EXPERIMENT. LONDON, May 21. (Received May 23, 5.5 p.m.) The airship R33 flew from Selby to London and back to-night as a trial for the American crew which is taking R3B to America. They carried a Sopwith Camel aeroplane with motors at full speed and released it at 1500 feet to test the petrol tank, which is designed to prevent fire after crashing. The experiment was successfuL