The Airway

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 645, 23 April 1929, Page 14

The Airway

By "TUB HOC" C ATURDAY 'IS aerial pageant, featuring New Zealand's first O aerial Derby and other events never before witnessed in the Dominion, lias done more than merely indicate the sudden burst of progress made in civil flying. It lias liad the immediate effect of arousing a keener interest in the “game, which is illustrated by the recent increase in Aero Club members.

Of till the glamour and success of the pageant, much has been written previously. But to officials and enthusiasts striving to popularise flying the most pleasing feature of the gathering was its immediate effect on fostering an air sense among so many of those present, and inciting in them a keen desire to assist the “game” by becoming members of the Aero Club. Long before the last event took place on Saturday the club’s secretary was rushed with inquiries concerning membership, and in consequence the long membership list has shown a rapid growth in a few days. In round figures, the gate takings on the day amounted to £750, which augurs well for future meetings, when, with more events, the competition of « lub-trained pilots and a greater variety of aircraft will prove an added attraction to the public. The Auckland Aero Club issued the following statement after the pageant: ‘ The club expresses its gratitude to those who contributed to the success of the pageant, and to the thousands of patrons. It is the intention of the club to make repayment through service to the Dominion. The committee emphasises that the primary purpose of the pageant was the education of the public in aviation. Airplanes came from all parts of the Dominion to participate. Their journeys were made in very fast time compared with other means of transport. In every case the flying schedules were strictly maintained. ‘ The club also wishes to acknowledge the service rendered to aviation by one of its guests at the pageant, Mr. Charles Todd, of Dunedin, who recently purchased an airdrome and vested it in the Dunedin City Council. The Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough Clubs have now permanent airdromes. The Auckland Aero Club has not the advantage of secured tenure.” FOOL-PROOF NEW SAFETY SLOT An extraordinary demonstration of fool-proof flying was given at the Handley Page Company’s Cricklewood airdrome recently, when Major Cordes, using a Moth machine. see-sawed the entire width of the airdrome in stalled flight. fT'HK occasion was the public test of the new interceptor slot, the object of which is to increase the safety factor already given by the existing automatic slots. Experts admit that the latter device lias revolu;ionised aviation by preventing a stalled machine disastrously nosediving, but the new device enables a pilot quickly to raise or depress either wing to prevent a side slip. It is a simple device, consisting of a narrow strip of metal, which normally lies flat upon the wing’s upper surface, but which rises up when the aileron rises, thus reducing the air lift under the higher wing. The Moth’s nose was put high up in the air, and the machine was given ; a i>o degrees sideways tilt, but. instead of side-slipping, the pilot raised the ; other aileron with the new slot, and the plane regained even keel almost j instantly.