AIRISMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 668, 21 May 1929, Page 16

AIRISMS

Improvements to the hangar at the Aero Club’s drome at Mangere are at present taking place. Most important is the tar-sealing of the floor of the building.

The six pupils flying solo are reported by instructor Major G. A. C. Cowper to be making great progress and should be ready to take their tickets in a very short time. Two of the pupils, Messrs. Phil cox and Gardiner, are quite outstanding and during their training the other morning were noticed to be looping and spinning with all the confidence and neatness of old pilots.

The Aero Club’s machines are not the only ones which arrive at and depart from the Mangere ’drome during each week. Captain MacGregor, who pilots a Moth for a Hamilton company, makes it his headquarters for his tours to various towns in the province. Last Friday morning Mr. Smith, in one of Mr. Douglas Mill’s Moth planes, landed without any ceremony, picked up a passenger and hopped off for Gisborne.

While wet weather does not affect the condition of the ground at the Mangere airdrome to any serious extent and consequently does not hamper flying such a great deal, the same cannot be said about the Government airdrome at Hobsonville. After a heavy shower it is difficult to get machines off.