AERIAL PAGEANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 636, 12 April 1929, Page 1

AERIAL PAGEANT

Big Flying Display for Auckland MACHINES FROM SOUTH Featuring thriiiing and spectacular aeriai manoeuvres by numerous and varied types or planes, piloted by distinguished pilots from all parts of the Dominion, the Auckland Aero Club’s pageant to be staged at the Ihumatoa airdrome next Saturday week promises to be the finest demonstration of its kind ever staged in New Zealand. Although smaller displays have been staged from time to time, mostly by military and private aircraft, this gathering will be the first organised for the purpose of catering lor all aero clubs in the Dominion. It may be termed a “free for a 11,” and should serve to illustrate the astounding progress made in aviation during the short period in which the aero clubs have been actively functioning. The programme for this initial meeting, which in every form will closely resemble those staged with such popularity and enthusiasm in England, is not yet available, but it is announced that five events have been definitely chosen. The pageant will open with a grand “fly past,” in which every machine present will participate. This will be followed by a landing competition, in which the contestants will .ascend to a height of 1,000 feet, cut off their engines, and glide down in an endeavour to alight like a feather within a marked circle. This event has proved to be the most keenly contested at the numerous flying gatherings held V other countries, and seldom fails io stimulate considerable interest among the spectators. An aerial Derby will be staged over two laps of 12 miles, the winner to receive the Kohn Cup. Five pilot members of the Auckland Aero Club will give a display of formation flying, while the final event of the day, and by no means the least interesting, will be the bombing of an ammunition dump. The New Zea- , land Engineers will assist in this • turn.” in which two home planes will lead an attack against the bombing machines. MACHINES FROM SOUTH The Aero Club's secretary, Mr. L. H. Swan, now a busy man making arrangements for the big event, has received correspondence from various clubs and private concerns confirming the proposal for them to take part in the display. The Hawke’s Bay Club’s machine, piloted by Instructor T. W. (.“Tiny”) White, will be present, while Captain Chandler and Mr. MacDonald, instructor and secretary of the .Marlborough Club respectively, both intend to make the trip North in one of the Government Moths. The Canterbury Aero Club is endeavouring to dispatch a plane, while two others who will definitely take part in the pageant will be Mr. K. Hall, of Hororata, in his Avro-Avian, and Captain MacGregor, in a Moth recently purchased by a Hamilton company. Apart from the Auckland Aero Club's three machines, other Auckland planes will include Mr. D. Mills’s Moth, and the Southerni Cross Airways’ machine, the Blackburn; Bluebird. There is also a possibility that on» or two Government machines will be present from the airdrome, Christchurch. x