Pick of Light Planes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 598, 26 February 1929, Page 14

Pick of Light Planes

Just at present there are only two machines at Ihumatao, these being the club’s De Havilland Moth and a very neat looking machine, a BlackburnBluebird, the property of the Southern Cross Airway Company. The latter machine, which features side by side seatin, and which in fact is the only one of its kind in New Zealand at the present time, is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable and striking in appearances of any of the British-built light planes. In the face of a strong wind, much too strong to make flying in most light planes really comfortable and enjoyable, Lieutenant lan Keith, tho Bluebird’s able pilot, took “Roc” for a flight yesterday in order to show how the machine behaved in nasty weather conditions. The strong wind appeared to have little or no effect on the stability of the machine, which zoomed over Ihumatao like a bird. For pleasure flying the idea of side by side seating is unsurpassed, and in this respect, well can the Bluebird be compared with other planes of the usual seating arrangement as the light car is compared with the motorcycle. The proprietor of the Southern Cross Airway Company, Mr. Don Cattanach, intends to keep the machine at Ihumatao for some days yet, and consequently it is always ready at the ’drome for pleasure flights daily, besides being available for aerial photography and aerial survey work. The Blackburn Bluebird is of the convertible type, but the company does not feel disposed to attach the floats until the occasion really warrants it.