WINGS NEEDED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 466, 22 September 1928, Page 1

WINGS NEEDED

Aero Club Seeks Funds for Training Planes CITIZENS’ SUBSCRIPTION LIST In company with the rest of New Zealand, Auckland has been lagging behind the advance of aviation. Other countries have developed the “air sense” of the people and have established commercial airplane services, but flying in the Dominion remains a novelty. Now Auckland is striving to take its rightful place as an important air base and training centre. The young Aero Club is growing fast, and planes are needed urgently for the use of pupil pilots. The Sun is co-operating with the club in making an appeal to all citizens.

Already the movement to encourage the growth of civil aviation in Auckland has met with an admirable response. The subscription list opened and supported by The Sun is headed by the names of Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieuten-ant Ulm, co-commanders of the Southern Cross. It is now growing steadily, and it is hoped that, before long, the sum necessary to secure a properly-equip-ped and thoroughly up-to-date Moth two-seater airplane will be on hand. Officials and members of the Auckland Aero Club stress the fact that a fleet of from four to six machines at least is necessary if the training of pupils and the cultivation of the desired “air sense” is to be begun on an adequate scale. When the work of the club is actively established and the airplanes are in use, all citizens will be given the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the pleasures and advantages of travel by air. A sum of £BOO is required to secure a machine suitable for the use of the club’s instructors and trainees. The immense interest aroused by the recent achievement of the Southern Cross flyers makes it desirable that the opportunity of assisting should be open to everyone. The subscription list will be published regularly in The Sun.

£ s. d. Squadron - Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieut. Ulm 21 0 0 Mr. Robert Burns (president of the Auckland Aero Club) .. 50 0 0 THE SUN Newspapers, Ltd .. 50 0 O Total •• -• * 131 10 0